DDLA Episode 3: Bug Spray
by Jlgjt
Summary: Jim's attempts to introduce Digimon to Odaiba College are being attacked, leading to suspicions of conspiracy. Can the DDLA find out what the truth is before the conspirators succeed in their plans? Find out in the most exciting DDLA episode yet!
1. Part 1: Reports and Suspicions

_**GJTProductions Presents...**_

_**DDLA EPISODE #3: BUG SPRAY!**_

**Part 1: Reports and Suspicions**

**Location: **Odaiba University, Backstage in the Theater Department...

**Date and Time: **Thursday February 26th, 2004 - 7:00 pm...

Inside a room filled with props and cloth, three college students were examining a half-finished costume and talking amongst themselves about what it represented: a chance for the public to begin to grasp what Digimon was truly about. Through an open door, voices could be heard approaching, and one of the students, Jim Kido, turned to listen...

"Are you _sure _this is the right way, Izzy?"

"Don't blame me, this whole place is a confusing mess!"

"T.K., I'm tired! Can we go home yet?"

"Afraid not, we still have to check in with Jim."

"Sheesh, you'd think they would have something that made more sense..."

"I certainly would never do things the way they've done it."

* * *

Shortly after this last line was spoken, a befuddled and tired group of DigiDestined stumbled into the room. This group consisted of Izzy, T.K., Kari and Ken, organized as the DDLA. As part of the campaign lead by Jim to promote Digimon in the college, they and the other DigiDestined members had made various presentations over the course of the week, to the not-unexpected mixed results.

"Long day?" Jim said with a smile at the weary faces of the DDLA members.

"More hecklers, just like every other day this week! Won't they ever stop?!" T.K. exclaimed in exasperation. "I hope you have some good news."

"Sure yeah, but it took you a while to get here. I was beginning to worry something had happened."

"This whole place is a crazy maze! It took us three tries to find the right route to this room!" Ken complained, looking over at Izzy, who at the moment was puzzling over a fold-out map of the college, at least once turning it around for a different orientation.

"I'm afraid it comes with the territory. The leadership turns over quickly, so building projects get plunked at the first site they find free without concerning much about organization. I've been getting turned around too, and considering the fact that were isolated by four walls with gates, I can understand your frustration..."

"All right, we get your point. So what's the news today?" T.K. asked of Jim.

"Well, the play development is coming along nicely. We've got the costume producers working on their first designs for the costumes." Jim answered. He pointed to a rough but impressive costume, mostly in white and purple, before continuing: "This is their rough design for the Gatomon lead costume. As you can see, the design is only half-finished, and the elements for thedramatic change at the end have yet to be implemented..."

"Wait, as in a kabuki play?" Izzy asked.

"Yeah, we're also using the flower path concept and the makeup styles, as well as some of the mechanical tricks, but everything else is like a Western play. Don't worry, it'll be great once all the details are ironed out!" Jim answered to a clearly skeptical audience.

"Well, at least Gatomon's curious!" Kari added with a laugh, pointing to a curious Gatomon staring up at the half-finished design. The smiles that resulted only lasted a moment, though, because of the somber mood that seemed to saturate the air despite the optimism.

"What other news, Jim?" T.K. asked.

* * *

Jim's face fell. "Unfortunately, I just gave you the only good piece of news I have. You already know the way the campus has been divided by your presentations." he said, holding up a copy of the college newspaper with the front-page headline blaring "Campus Divided Over 'Digital Monsters'".

"It's gotten worse, I'm afraid." he continued, pointing to a pair of posters he had laying on a table. One of them had been defaced, red and black spray paint all over the cute Digimon pictures the poster had displayed in advertising their efforts, the other scattered with question marks and accusations of conspiracy.

"Oh man, all that good photography and someone just spray painted all over it! Who would want to do that?" Kari asked.

"This isn't the only poster I found like this. It's the Anarchists for sure, they're always looking for attention!" Jim proclaimed, eyebrows knitted in frustration.

"Anarchists?" Ken asked.

"Yes, we have a group of those here. Ne'er-do-wells with too much time and money on their hands. If the President could get rid of them, he would, but there have been tries before and they've all been blocked." Jim explained.

"Sounds awful." T.K. commented.

"If only it were the end of it." Jim responded, passing by the observing fellow college students to a computer terminal nearby. He brought up a simple webpage detailing their presentation schedule and more about them, which showed the same kind of defacement as the poster had.

"Izzy, didn't you work on that webpage on an overnight effort?" Tentomon asked after seeing the defaced web page.

"Yes, I did. I can't believe the nerve of those no-gooders!" Izzy answered with an understandable righteous indignation.

"What concerns me more is how they managed to pull that hack off. Surely they don't have that kind of competence?" Ken asked.

"I checked out all the members of the college's computer club already. None of them have touched the page, and I don't think any of the anarchists would know how to do such a hack job..." Jim concluded.

"Don't underestimate men – or mon – who have wholeheartedly devoted themselves to a cause. What about the second poster?" Izzy commented.

"Well, it was put up earlier today, about some kind of seminar tomorrow. To be honest, I don't like it one little bit. It's hosted by someone named Prof. Gawaze Urey, and you can see all the kook theories it's bantering about."

"I agree. This smells of something, but what I can't say. And that professor's name strikes me as familiar for some reason..." Ken commented.

"Prof. Harold Urey supervised an experiment about 50 years ago, the first synthesis of amino acids from inorganic compounds. It was really big news back then; it's obvious our professor knows how to draw in the biology majors, who would otherwise be the most interested." Izzy explained.

"Well then we need to spy on him, figure out what exactly he's up to." Kari suggested.

"All right, and we'll also have to figure out how that website got hacked. Who is in charge of the computer equipment on the campus?" Izzy asked of Jim

"That would be Prof. Deitsu of the Computer Science Dept.; he's the one in control of the on-campus networks. You should ask him." Jim answered.

"All right, so we'll have to split up the group for the investigations here." T.K. affirmed.

"But you'll have to come back tomorrow. No one's available to interview this late at night." Jim cautioned the group.

* * *

"What about **them**, though? Is it all right for them to be listening to this?" Kari asked, pointing to the other two college students that Jim had been talking to when the group arrived. One was clearly American: close-cut red hair and bright green eyes on a freckled Caucasian face, T-shirt and jeans for clothing. A crucifix dangled from his neck, and he was observing the Digimon with intense curiosity. The other had brown skin and dark-brown hair with deep-set grey-blue eyes, a small white cap on his head and his clothing consisting of what looked like a long and colorful shirt and loose pants pulled up by drawstring; this student was also studying the Digimon, though he looked more in contemplation rather than analysis.

Jim took one look over at his fellow college students and slapped his forehead with his right hand. "Stupid me, where are my manners? Come on over guys, you can shake hands or something." Jim said to the group, who followed him to where the surprised pair were standing.

He looked at his fellow students sheepishly. "Sorry, I forgot you two were still around. This is part of the Digimon group I've been telling you about." he explained. The two students nodded as a way of showing they understood.

Jim then turned to the Digidestined group and said to them "These guys are actually helping out with the campaign here. The red-head is Christopher, he heads the Christian Club here at the university. The other one is Ali, head of the Muslim Club. Both of these clubs understand what it's like to be misunderstood and be treated suspiciously, so they pitched in with money donations and manpower."

With this said, handshakes between the Digidestined group humans (but not Digimon) and the two students occurred, Christopher answering questions willingly but haltingly and Ali using only gestures for answering. When Izzy asked about this, Jim explained that neither of them understood Japanese very well; it was a second language to Christopher, who was born to American military parents in Okinawa, and Ali, who was born and raised in Pakistan as far as Jim knew, could barely understand Japanese at all. "We all use English to communicate between ourselves, because we all understand it to at least some degree. Plus, we can learn from each other." Jim concluded.

"All right, well I'm glad we at least have friends here. What's next?" T.K. asked.

"I'll print up some more flyers and get to work on restoring the website. Tomorrow, the rest of you spread out around campus and see what's going on. I sense something of a conspiracy, but I can't be sure of anything." Jim answered.

"If there is a conspiracy, we need to find it and reveal it before it does something horrible to us and to this university. We already know you have enemies who would want to wreck this place if they could, we must not let that happen." Izzy affirmed.

"Good. Now, let us all go and prepare for the events of tomorrow!" Jim said with a hopeful tone. Within a few minutes, all had left except Ali, still apparently in contemplative thought alone in the room.

* * *

After about 20 minutes just sitting and thinking in semi-darkness, Ali finally broke the silence by talking to himself: "It's no use arguing with myself. I must make my report."

He moved the chair to in front of the computer and opened up a browser window. Then he typed in the website for a private chatroom and entered the password when prompted. Another smaller window appeared in the middle of the screen, with this displayed in the top of the window:

**Welcome user Aladdin to Private Chatroom! You are conversing with users: Chessmaster, CompMan, ProfU**

The subsequent chatroom conversation went like this, with Ali posting as Aladdin:

**Chessmaster: **I am glad you are finally here. We have been waiting for your report.

**Aladdin: **I'm sorry, they kept me waiting longer than I thought.

**Chessmaster: **Never mind that. We all want to know if our wishes have been granted.

**Aladdin: **As you requested, they are completely clueless. They still think the Anarchists are doing it.

**Chessmaster: **Excellent, all is according to plan then!

**CompMan: **The connection is still secure, should Aladdin and I do another crack?

**Chessmaster: **I do not feel that is necessary for the moment. ProfU, are you ready for tomorrow?

**ProfU**: Yes, sir! I have finished that speech you requested. All should be ready.

**Chessmaster: **Good man. You will receive what has been promised if you succeed in your objective.

**CompMan:** But what about those kids? They're more likely than not still want to snoop around!

**Chessmaster:** That is the most pressing concern at the moment. Obstruction and confusion must be maintained on all sides for the plan to succeed. Is this understood?

**Aladdin:** Yes sir.

**CompMan: **Understood.

**ProfU: **Acknowledged.

**Chessmaster: **I am glad we understand each other. Prep 1 is now complete, and Prep 2 is set to begin tomorrow evening after the lecture.

**CompMan: **Must it be so soon? They may already suspect something, and moving too fast will reinforce their suspicions.

**Chessmaster:** The kids are forcing my hand. If Operation Bugspray is not implemented before they do their big spectacle, all could be lost. That is why the time to act is now!

**ProfU:** Can't the security men keep them out?!? What if they crash my lecture?

**Chessmaster: **Playing that card now would likely lead to failure. The responsibility for stopping the investigations and driving those Digimon kids off the campus is with you. DO NOT FAIL ME!

**Aladdin:** Yes sir!

**CompMan: **I promise we will not fail.

**ProfU: **You can count on my oratory skills and logic.

**Chessmaster: **Then go forth and wipe out those enemies that have been denying me what is rightfully mine! LONG LIVE THE ANKOKUWAS!

**Aladdin:** Long live the Ankokuwas!

**CompMan: **Hail to the Ankokuwas!

**ProfU: **May all dreams be realized!

* * *

Ali logged out of the chatroom, closed the web browser and shut down the computer. He returned the chair to where he had got it from and began turning off all the room lights. Just before locking the door out and leaving, he looked back toward the turned off computer and gave it a weary, tired look. He closed the door, leaving the room in dark silence...

**There is an obvious conspiracy against the Digidestined's efforts at the college, but who is behind it and why are they doing it? And, what is Ali's role in this conspiracy? Stay tuned for Part 2, "Investigations"!**


	2. Part 2: Investigations

**DDLA Episode 3: Bug Spray**

**Part 2: Investigations**

Date: Friday February 27th, 2004

Time: 5:00pm

Location: Student Center, Odaiba College

The DDLA and its allies Jim and Ali, all out of public view, could hear the hustle and bustle of the student center outside. Particularly on a Friday night, it was packed with students wanting to let off steam and celebrate the arrival of the weekend. The group had been forced to huddle amongst the coats and shoes of the coat room to avoid being mobbed by supporters or attacking naysayers. It was here that the investigations would be launched from.

"I wish we didn't have to meet in here, seeing all those guards outside make me a little nervous that they'll suspect something." Kari stated.

"We've had to learn to live with those guards. The college has become security paranoid since Giman's attack and hired outside security to supplement the police force." Jim explained.

"All right then, since we can't avoid them we'll just have to be careful around them, don't cause more trouble than you can help." Ken cautioned.

"Got it. Now what are our assignments?" T.K. asked.

"Izzy, Tentomon, Wormmon, Ali and I will investigate the computer records and see how our website got hacked. Jim, T.K. and Patamon will go to the computer science professor and see his reaction to the fact that our site was hacked. Kari and Gatomon should go to the lecture and see what exactly is going on there. When you've learned all you can, come back here and we'll see what we can put together."

"Why should it be just me and Gatomon going to the lecture? Why can't you or T.K. come with me?" Kari asked.

"If it's just the two of you, you're less likely to draw attention to your efforts. Going in numbers would only provoke suspicion. Besides, I need to stay with Izzy to help with figuring out the hack job." Ken answered.

"All right then, let's get going! Everyone meet back here by six o'clock. If someone doesn't show, we'll set out for them. I have a feeling that whatever's going on will happen soon, so we need to act and think fast!" T.K. spoke.

"Right, that sounds like a good plan. Now get moving everyone, we have a mystery to solve!" Izzy ordered, and soon the DDLA exited the hiding area and split into three parts, each heading in a different direction...

* * *

University Computer Center, 5:15pm...

Ali slipped into the computer center, glancing around at the other students casually surfing the web or listening to music. None of them noticed what he did next, and neither did any of the DDLA members with him, which he had deliberately gotten ahead of just for that purpose.

Casting a wary eye at the other students in the room, he logged into a computer and opened a folder containing student data stored on the network server. He dragged one icon representing a web page to the desktop, deleted the original on the network space, then opened the copy on his desktop in a web browser. The web page showed several pictures of Anarchist Club members celebrating their successful hacking job, supplemented by helpful captions.

All of this was accomplished before the other members of the group, strolling in as casually as they could considering the circumstances. Most of the students already there went on doing whatever they were doing before, but a few caught a glimpse of the insectoid Digimon or the still fairly well-known Ken Ichijouji and began stirring up the other students. The group meeting in the room just tried to pretend it wasn't happening.

Izzy, Jim and Ken crowded around the computer Ali had placed himself at while Tentomon watched over Izzy's shoulder and Wormmon over Ken's shoulder. "You said you had evidence for their hack?" Izzy asked Ali.

"Yeah, it looks like he got a page made by those no-gooders. It's kinda surprising though, because he's not exactly the technologically adept type of person." Jim stated to the others. He exchanged a brief whispered conversation with Ali in English, which Izzy and Ken couldn't understand very well despite their excellent comprehension of the language. The two Digimon, for their part, kept quiet, recognizing that trying to get involved would only draw more attention to them.

Jim looked back up and explained to Izzy and Ken that Ali had said he had gotten the page from the computer department staff when he asked about the hack job yesterday afternoon. Normally he wouldn't have been allowed to copy web pages this way, but they made an exception because it was potential evidence of a criminal act.

Izzy and Ken looked at Ali, then at each other. "Jim, can I speak to you alone?" Izzy asked, acutely aware of the curious crowd building up around them. Jim reluctantly agreed and was dragged off into a bathroom nearby, Tentomon keeping the crowd back with crackling "arcs" of electricity that caused the members of the crowd to give him wide berth and pull back.

Seeing the bathroom empty and guarded by Tentomon, Izzy finally spoke in confidence: "Jim, something doesn't sit right here. Something feels out of place. I need to know now how much we can trust Ali."

"Izzy, I understand what you're thinking." Jim began to explain. "You're probably thinking the same things I thought when Ali first approached us with an offer to help: he's leader of the Muslim group so he has a hidden agenda. I don't blame you considering what happened in New York City, but he's not like that. Ever since the attacks on America, the Muslim club here has been treated with suspicion; ever since Ali took over, he's been trying to show everyone that they are not out to get us. They're not evil people, Izzy; they've provided us with the funds for our campaign, hoping that their image will get a boost as well. Ali and the other club members are not terrorists out to get us, you can trust them."

"I **really** hope you're right. I sense a conspiracy against us, but where it's coming from I can't tell..." Izzy replied.

"But you saw the webpage yourself! Surely the Anarchists are behind this whole thing!"

"No, it's only one piece of something greater... but what it is I can't figure out..."

* * *

Urtsu Lecture Hall, 5:30pm...

Kari and Gatomon, sneaking through the building themselves, were quickly drawn to the lecture site by the buzz that spread throughout the halls. Approaching the source of the hubbub, Kari discovered a protest lead by supporters of Jim's efforts around the lecture site. The protesters had camped out around the doors leading into the lecture hall, prevented from crashing the lecture itself by a number of other students in red and black, members of the Anarchist Club if she had to guess. Several security guards had been placed between the opposing sides to prevent a fight from erupting.

Both Kari and Gatomon studied the situation grimly, trying to figure out a way to get into the lecture hall. Just walking into the situation would only aggravate matters, possibly into violence, but there was no way to sneak past the groups into the room...

Kari's thought were interrupted by feeling a hand on her shoulder. On reflex, she spun around while shouting "Hiya!", arms ready to chop at whoever had interrupted her. She quickly put down this stance when she recognized the interrupter as meaning no harm.

"Professor Takenouchi? What are you doing here?" Kari asked in surprise, Gatomon looking up at Sora's professor father as Kari spoke.

"I have come here to give you help. Trust me, I don't like this situation any more than you or the others do. I was concerned by the amount of attention this getting, so I decided to come here and wait for one of you to show up to investigate. I was honestly expecting T.K. or Izzy to show up instead though." the professor explained.

"They're busy. Do you know a way into the lecture hall, or at least a way to see what's going on in there?" Kari asked.

"Yes, there's an entrance from a maintenance closet next door. I doubt those no-gooders are covering that one, only professors and the maintenance staff are supposed to know about that entrance." Professor T. explained.

"Show it to me, we need to know what's going on in there!" Kari demanded, smacking a fist into her palm.

"All right, I'll take you. But I can't be held liable for whatever happens once you get there."

* * *

The professor lead Kari and Gatomon around to another part of the building, entered a maintenance closet and traveled through several normally unused rooms to a back entrance to the lecture hall where Professor Urey was preaching to a receptive audience. Professor Takenouchi pointed out a specific door, which Kari quietly opened a crack. Prof. T, Kari and Gatomon each peaked out through the crack in the door to get a good view of the lecture hall, configured in auditorium seating.

The three of them were collectively horrified at the lies and misinformation Professor Urey was propagating. He was laying out how the creatures called Digimon were actually extraterrestrials intending to invade and conquer Earth, citing the events of four years ago as a first failed attempt. He also stated that the government and university authorities were deliberately hiding this information because they thought that the "Digimon" could thus be settled peacefully on Earth without an invasion or other act of war. Claiming to be a crusader against the Digimon "menace", he promised high rewards to all those who supported him in his crusade. With increasing dismay, the three spies saw the assembled students almost unanimously cheer and clap for the professor.

The door quietly closed again, still undetected. Kari had a thoroughly disgusted look on her face and a low growl rumbled in Gatomon's throat. "What a pack of lies! Why are they even listening to him in the first place?" Kari asked indignantly.

"It's a different world here than in the regular schools." Professor Takenouchi began to explain. "Here, students are disinterested in attending lectures and usually only do enough classwork to pass the classes. They treat college as a four-year wild ride and a ticket to the good life. They aren't looking for self-improvement, they're looking for something that will give them the good life. Dangle enough money in front of them and they'll literally do anything you want. Anything at all."

"That's awful! I hope I'm never like that." Kari responded, her face showing even more disgust.

"Well we can only hope. But I'm afraid what we just witnessed is very bad news. That professor has got their attention, hold out the right bait and he, or the conspirators behind him, could throw this place into chaos. This isn't a lecture, but a rallying of the forces against your efforts."

"But why? Who's behind it?"

The Professor's face showed weary worry. "I wish I could tell you that answer. I really wish I could." he said with a sigh. "Now come on, we gotta get moving or we'll be found in here."

Kari agreed and the trio worked their way out toward the hallway, hoping that they wouldn't run into the leaving mob and start serious trouble. When they were gone, a student rounded the corner and pulled out a walkie-talkie.

Like Kari, Gatomon and Professor Takenouchi had been spying on the lecture, this student had been spying on them, placed just in case they decided to investigate through this method. He had brown skin with piercing green eyes and a small nose, a closely cropped mustache decorating his face. The headscarf he wore showed him as another student from the Middle East, though he wore jeans and T-shirts like the American students.

The spying student brought the walkie-talkie up to his face and pressed the button on it. "They left the way they came, Chessmaster." he said into the device, releasing the button after he spoke.

"Good man, Hussein. We know that they know something is up. You must be prepared if the primary agent fails, which I fear will soon happen. You understand what this means?"

"Yes sir, I am prepared to do what is needed to ensure the operation's success." Hussein answered back.

"Excellent. Be prepared, the trigger might be within 24 hours. Make sure you are ready when it is given. The devices will soon be spread out and all will be ready."

"I understand sir."

"There's a good lad. Now, you are dismissed from your post. Make sure no one knows you've communicated with me."

"When will we get what we've been promised?"

"When the operation has succeeded. That is all you need to know."

"Understood sir. I am leaving now."

The student turned off the walkie-talkie, slipped it into his jeans pocket and disappeared into the labyrinth of passageways behind the lecture halls...

* * *

Meanwhile in the College Computer Center...

"Sir, I'm telling you the club needs its website protected. It's been hacked once, why aren't you making sure that it won't happen again?" an exasperated T.K. was trying to explain. For the past half-hour, he had been trying to get Professor Deitsu, head of the computer department at the university, to listen to him, but he kept being ignored or his concerns were being brushed off. The whole time, Patamon watched from close by, sometimes drawing the attention of others (particularly girls) in the room, but staying focused on T.K.

"And I'm telling you that the Anarchists have as much right to those computer systems as the club does. There is nothing I can do here. If you want to file a protest, go to the office of the President of the College and make your petition there. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to run a maintenance check!" the professor responded as a way of ending the conversation. T.K., seeing the guards nearby and not wanting to start a fight in public, reluctantly backed down and stomped away, grabbing Patamon from the nearby table where he had perched himself.

"Some people can be so unhelpful!" Patamon complained with some measure of disgust.

"More than unhelpful, he's hiding something. He doesn't want the club site protected from hackers, which means he's probably in league with them." T.K. responded through his huff.

"Well what do we do?"

"We meet up with the other guys again, that's what we do. Hopefully, they'll have had better luck than we had..."

* * *

5:45pm, back at the Student Center...

"This doesn't make any sense." Izzy was saying to the reassembled group, once again hiding in the coat rack area. "Ali said the computer department staff was willing to help him out, but T.K. says they've got something to hide. So, that leaves us with the question of what is exactly going on..."

"It's a conspiracy, no doubt about it. A conspiracy against us." Jim grimly stated. "But who's behind it? And why are they attacking us?"

"Ankokuwa agents?" Ken suggested.

"No, that's why the college has been investing in all the outside security, remember?"

"There could be moles inside the college. What Kari and Gatomon have seen has convinced me something is trying to turn public opinion against us and for their cause, whatever it is. The problem is we don't know their objectives or how to stop it."

"Could Ali or Christopher be moles, double agents for Giman?" T.K. suggested.

Jim recoiled in horror at the suggestion. "What on earth would make you think that? They have no reason to stab us in the back! From day one, they've provided manpower, money and psychological support for the campaign. Both of their images stand to be bolstered by their association to our cause, why would they want to stab us in the back?" he indignantly explained.

"It has attracted a lot of controversy. Maybe one of them wants it dead?"

"No no, they're **used **to being surrounded by controversy. The Muslim group, Christian group, Anarchist group... a whole bunch of groups, some popular, some not. That's the way it is around here."

"Whatever is going on, something is still not adding up here. And I'm worried it's only going to get worse." Izzy affirmed.

* * *

Izzy's fears were quickly and unexpectedly affirmed when voices started breaking through the din outside, students shouting that there was a distribution of pagers that was going to start in an hour for "anyone who opposes Digimon or is interested in fame and wealth". Naturally this started another chattering commotion and a loud response or two that degenerated into a shouting match.

The group peaked out at the buzz outside, noting the shouting students handing out slips of paper and at least one being challenged by a Digimon supporter who was blocking his distribution path. Glances were exchanged between the group members as they retreated back into the coat room.

"We need to investigate. Now!" T.K. stated.

"But what's the plan going to be?" Kari asked.

"Plan, we definitely need a plan. We can't be seen out there until those students distributing the papers leave anyways, we'll only draw trouble upon ourselves." Jim cautioned.

"All right, here's what we're going to do. Kari and I will go with our Digimon to the distribution and see what exactly is going on. Jim, you go with T.K. and Ken; you three need to find Prof. Urey and Prof. Deitsu, see how they're involved with all this. We may not have much time left, so everyone hurry. If anyone runs across Prof. Takenouchi, tell him that we need his help and make sure he comes with you, even if it means we have to do some explaining to Sora later." Izzy planned out, thinking on his feet as he spoke.

"Why me with you? Why not T.K. with me or Ken with me?" Kari asked.

"We don't have time to argue over this! We gotta move now!" Ken overruled.

"If you're leaving, I suggest leaving in pairs instead of everyone at once to minimize the chances of being seen." Jim cautioned.

"Good idea, we don't want to start fights or provoke an attack. Now let's move out!" Izzy ordered, which the others accepted with reluctant agreement...

* * *

By the time Izzy and Kari with their Digimon had arrived near the location where the "pagers" were going to be distributed, a line was already forming and growing by the second. They stopped short, peaking around a building corner.

"Oh my goodness!" Izzy exclaimed as he saw the growing line of excited college students.

"This is horrible, they're falling for a delusion!" Kari gasped out, covering her agape mouth with her right hand.

"What kind of madness has overcome them?" Tentomon asked.

"A common malady among humans." Gatomon curtly answered, scanning around the group as she spoke.

"What do you mean, Gatomon?" Tentomon asked, looking down from his hovering position at her slowly rotating figure.

"One of the few memories of the time I was serving Myotismon I haven't ever blocked out was seeing all the people in this human city going places, traveling, shopping, talking on those portable cell phone things or whatever they're called. In my searching and mental probing for finding Kari, I discovered that there were three primary reasons for these activities: amusement, the making of money or the acquisition of power. I sense the lure of money and things amongst this crowd."

"Are you serious?" Izzy asked Gatomon, him and Kari having been listening to her explanation.

"I do sense something is acting here, something... that stirs very deep in humans. I wouldn't discount her observations, Izzy." Kari answered.

"Well, whatever is the case, we need to figure out exactly what's going on in there. If we just walk into the line, we could trigger an attack on ourselves. Since it looks like the distribution is on the first floor, we need someone to monitor from the second floor what's going on inside the building. Kari, you and Gatomon go in through a back door and get to the second floor to see if you can spy from above. Tentomon and I will go around the building the long way and watch the students coming out." Izzy ordered.

"What? Why do I have to go in the building?" Kari objected.

"Because between your camera and Gatomon's stealthiness you're better cut out for the job. All I need for you to find a vantage point over the distribution table, snap a few frames on your camera and meet me back outside."

Kari sighed; objecting would be useless. "All right, if you say so." she shrugged.

"Good. Now get moving, we don't have much time."

* * *

Having already seen the guards outside, Kari and Gatomon knew their work was cut out for them, but nevertheless found a back entrance to the building unguarded by the security and snuck up a set of stairs to the second floor.

Traveling down a central hallway, the view of the floor below opened in front of her over a retaining wall above the first floor atrium. Making sure that no one was looking up at her, she snapped a few frames of the scene below. For each arrival, the same pattern played out: a black headband was given and put on the student when he or she entered the door, then the student lead to a table flanked by two security guards. The student shook the hand of the three men sitting behind the table (one she recognized as Prof. Urey, another later identified by T.K. from the pictures as Prof. Deitsu), presented with a small black device with a speaker and big red button along with a sheet of paper she presumed was an instruction sheet, then finally pointed in the direction of a guard by a suitcase filled with high-denomination yen bills. The student rushed over to the guard, who gave him or her two or three of those bills and sent them off grinning.

Quietly and grimly snapping, she was interrupted by Gatomon, who had been watching for guards and now alerted her that some were approaching. Kari stopped, took one look in the direction Gatomon had pointed out and bolted, Gatomon hot on her heels.

Kari and Gatomon retreated into an alcove, flattening against the wall, as the pair of security guards rounded the corner to the spot where they had been. They could hear the guards talking:

"One of the students definitely said there was unauthorized photography going on from the overlook, but no one's here now."

"They probably bolted when they were spotted. Let's see if we can catch them before they can get off this floor. You backtrack to the secondary stairs, I'll check down the hallway to see if they're hiding somewhere."

From the hiding point, Kari and Gatomon saw one of the guards go by down the hallway, machine gun pointed out in front of him. Kari gulped hard: she thought the security guards were supposed to protect Jim's efforts as well as the college in general from the Ankokuwas. If they were in on the conspiracy, those efforts, and the college in general, were in peril. If the guards caught them, it was all over.

Kari's mind raced as she and Gatomon saw the guard go by again, gun still pointed out in front of him. She peaked out toward the back of the guard walking toward the stairs, then down the hallway to look for another hiding spot. The welcome sight of a women's bathroom sign gave her an opportunity, and while she saw the guard looking down the stairs for his partner she grabbed Gatomon and rushed for the women's bathroom. Before the guard could look to respond, all he could see or hear was a door closing. The guard, naturally suspecting something, proceed down the hallway with his machine gun ready to fire.

Meanwhile, Kari had retreated into the thankfully empty bathroom, pressed flat against a divider between the entrance and the sink area. Gatomon looked ready to berate her human partner for such a rash move, but Kari shushed her down. A few seconds later, the entrance door to the bathroom opened with a slam, startling Kari and Gatomon into silence and pressing flat against the dividing wall.

"Come out come out wherever you are!" the guard taunted, taking first one step and then another into the bathroom, machine gun swinging from side to side as he moved further in.

"They don't even respect a women's bathroom?!?" Kari thought with surprised horror. For a few tension-filled moments, the guard paused, walked straight past the sink area (and the hiding Kari and Gatomon) and began to violently kick in the toilet stalls, sometimes snapping the locks in the process.

Heart pumping, Kari bolted again, grabbing Gatomon and rushing out the bathroom door while the guard was distracted with the stalls. This time the two of them went further down the hallway, hoping to find the way out without running into another guard...

* * *

The winded, worn out Kari burst through a back door and nearly ran into Izzy and Tentomon, talking with the other groups who had met up with them behind the building where the distribution was still going on.

"Kari, I was starting to get worried because you hadn't come out as quick as I thought you would." Izzy explained.

"What... are... they... doing here?" the gasping Kari asked.

"Our investigations told us the professors we were looking for were here. We met up with Izzy and Tentomon a few minutes ago." T.K. explained.

"You have the pictures? What happened in there?" Izzy asked.

"Yeah... I have the pictures. A student... noticed me, they sent guards in my direction. Gatomon and I... barely escaped." Kari answered.

"The guards are involved with this too? Oh man, this is not good." Jim exclaimed as Kari handed the camera over to Izzy.

"The guards are outside hires. For the right price, they could be bribed or bought off by the conspirators, turn a blind eye to what they're doing or join in the conspiracy." Ken worriedly added.

"And that's what I'm afraid of. Let's see what the pictures tell us." Izzy replied. The others crowded around the camera display as Izzy cycled through the recently taken pictures.

"Incredible! I only see enthusiasm like that after one of our sports teams wins a game." Jim commented.

"Very bad, this is all very bad." T.K. stated with worry.

"A conspiracy, bribing students to participate in it, but for what reason? Why all this effort? Who's behind it?" Ken asked.

"I wish I knew. Nothing in these pictures shows who may be behind what is going on, but it does show Prof. Urey, Prof. Deitsu and the outside security force are all in on it, and are recruiting the student population to do their bidding." Izzy stated.

"A conspiracy, but no way of knowing its objective or how to stop it, or even how to warn about it. This is big trouble." T.K. grimly summed up.

"Izzy, what do we do?" Jim asked, uncertain about how to proceed.

* * *

All eyes turned to Izzy waiting for his answer. Izzy handed the camera back to Kari, pondered the question for a moment, then cleared his throat. He looked around at the nervous DigiDestined and Jim gathered all around him.

"The big event with Kari and Ken is going to be tomorrow night, they may strike then. But if we cancel the event, we'll be conceding to the conspirators. I suggest we continue to make preparations, because we're going to be here all day Saturday and can investigate further. I have a feeling they are waiting for that event, so we must be ready for battle if need be. I fear, however, that the plot runs deeper than merely trying to drive us off the college grounds." Izzy laid out slowly and carefully.

"If it is, then what is their objective?" Jim asked.

"I don't know, and that's what got me worried. We don't have enough information about this and I fear our time is rapidly running out. I only hope we still can do something before it's too late."

"And if it is already too late?"

"Then heaven help this college and its students."

* * *

Later that night...

The cell phone of Muslim Club leader Ali rang and vibrated in the pocket of his traditional garb. Looking around cautiously, he slipped into a side alley, pulled out the phone and answered it.

"Hello?" he said.

"Hello Aladdin. This is Chessmaster speaking. Do you understand the precariousness of your position at the moment?"

Ali's eyebrows went up in surprise and a touch of fear. "No, I'm afraid I don't." Ali replied.

"It has come to my attention that those kids are still snooping around the campus. One of them managed to get some shots of the distribution effort, they know something's up by now. I thought you had gotten rid of them already!"

"I tried sir, but they never got the Anarchists to provoke a fight. They've always managed to get around the traps you set up."

"At least the Anarchists still have some use, but you are failing to uphold your end of the deal we made. I have had to activate my reserve because of your failure to stop them from coming."

"Hussein? But there surely there is another way...!"

"I wouldn't need to do this if you were doing your job! The operation must not be uncovered before it can be launched. You and the computer professor have not been able to keep those kids from snooping around, and I have lost patience with you two. If those kids show themselves on the campus for even one minute tomorrow, you two are dead men. I will tolerate failure no longer. I hope you pray as regularly as you claim, because you will need it for tonight, I can assure you."

The call disconnected before Ali could reply to the Chessmaster's warning. He put his phone away, leaned against the wall and blew out a heavy sigh. He considered going to Jim and telling him everything, but he hoped the Chessmaster was just blowing hot air. He didn't want to think of what could happen should everything fail. Surely things wouldn't become as dark as he saw things becoming... would they?

Ali looked up in the dark sky, muttering a prayer to Allah, either to keep the kids off the campus tomorrow or to protect him from the Chessmaster's wrath. If the operation would take place tomorrow, it would either be the best or the worst day of his life, and shake the college to its roots.

Worried, he glanced around the academic buildings, wondering if they would soon bear the scars of battle. He didn't want to think tomorrow would be a day of horrors, but worried that it would indeed be the case. Head in his hands, Ali wondered, not for the first time, what exactly he had gotten himself into...

**Much has been uncovered about the conspiracy, but it is still not known who is behind it or why it is happening. Stay tuned for the emotional Part 3, "Tragedy in Odaiba", to get to the answers to those questions and more!**


	3. Part 3: Tragedy in Odaiba

**Part 3: A Tragedy in Odaiba**

Date: Saturday, February 28th, 2004

Time: 9:00 am

Place: near Taiki Theater, University of Odaiba

Setting up for the big event that night with the help of university staff, the DigiDestined felt that the university atmosphere had become charged with tension. The DDLA in particular had felt that if there was a conspiracy against them it would almost certainly attack before the big event began or during the big event itself. Having warned the other DigiDestined with their partners to be ready for action against them, the DDLA members with Jim and Professor Takenouchi had split off in an attempt to warn anyone with power about the conspiracy.

First they had gone to the office of the college president, who admitted them politely but laughed off their concerns. Then they had gone to the college police headquarters and spoke with the police chief, who assured them their fears were exaggerated and that the outside security was trustworthy enough to crush any conspiracies that may exist; when trying to explain that the security might be in on the conspiracy, he assured them that the company providing the security had no "shady connections" and shooed them out the door.

Now the DDLA were heading back to the theater, trying to figure out what options were available to them. They had no idea how to get to the root of the conspiracy or even who was behind it, so they didn't know where to go next, nor was there any effective way to spread a warning on a student-by-student basis. They had run out of options, and were almost certain they were almost out of time to combat the conspiracy.

* * *

In this charged atmosphere, any shouting would've provoked an attention grabbing response, but the DDLA were confronted by a group of students running full steam in their direction, calling for them to follow, virtually unmissable. Jim and Prof. Takenouchi immediately recognized Christopher as the leader of the group and the one calling them with Ali somewhere in the middle of the group. Fearing something awful had happened, the DDLA group members exchanged glances, then took off after the student group.

They followed the group into a dark outbuilding, finding the students crowded around Ali. Breathlessly Christopher exclaimed "Thank goodness... we found you! Something... horrible... has happened!"

The DDLA didn't need Christopher's explanations to show that something was indeed horribly wrong. The other students, a Japanese girl with a rosary, an African American student wearing a tee shirt with a cross on it and a black-haired Caucasian female with cross earrings, crowded around a despondent, convulsing Ali. Christopher and the three students with him all showed evidences of having been in a scuffle, while Ali had his cap missing and his shirt tear-stained and torn. Kari and Ken with their partners approached the group around Ali, which moved aside to reveal Ali crying and moaning profusely, often mumbling something through the hands covering his face.

"What's going on here? What's happened?" T.K. asked, almost tripping over the words in his haste to get them out. Christopher relayed in broken Japanese that something awful had happened to Ali and Ali had told them to bring him to the DDLA.

Attention promptly turned to the slouching, weeping figure of Ali, legs spread out on the floor and hands wet with tears. "Ali, what has happened? What is going on?" Jim asked, the only response being choked-out words of despair in Japanese. _Perfect_ Japanese.

"Wait a minute, that Japanese is **too** good for what's been said of Ali's competence in the language. Either he's a really fast learner or he's been speaking it for longer than he claimed to have been speaking it." Ken noted, and it was undeniable that through the sobbing the words were coming out as if he spoke the language much more fluently than he had claimed.

"Ali, what's happening here? Why are you speaking Japanese so good all of a sudden?" Jim asked in Japanese, his face showing that worried "sinking feeling" look of dread.

Ali finally stopped sobbing, dropped his hands to show a tear-streaked and horrified face, and blew out a heavy sigh. He answered in perfect Japanese "I've been speaking both it and English ever since I was very little. My parents moved to Japan from Pakistan shortly after I was born, and they helped me learn both languages growing up."

Jim flushed a shade of purple; Ali had been lying to him about his language skills since the first time they had met, and he wondered what else he may have lied about. Jim shouted out "You mean you lied to us?! Why did you lie to us?!"

"I didn't want you to think..." Ali began.

"Didn't want us to think WHAT?" T.K. interrupted, his face showing a similar shade of purple to Jim's. The rest of those present just stared in numb shock. Ali collapsed again into tears and incoherent despairing words.

At this point Prof. Takenouchi stepped in, repeatedly asking Ali in loud tones of voice to answer T.K.'s question. When Ali didn't respond, the professor grabbed him and lifted him to his feet, pressing his face to Ali's. "Ali, I don't know what you've done or whatever you intended to accomplish by manipulating our trust, but you'd better start talking before I make sure you fail all your classes and get sent back to your parents in the most shameful way that can be accomplished! The entire college may be at stake, so you need to start telling everything, **right here, RIGHT NOW!!"** the professor growled and then shouted into Ali's face before dropping him again.

Ali, slumped again on the floor in total resignation, broke again immediately: "Those... STUPID... Anarchists! They had the opportunity handed to them on a silver platter, but they didn't press it hard enough!"

"So, if the Anarchists weren't the ones who hacked the website and defaced the posters, who **did **do those things?" Izzy asked, picking up on what Ali was implying. Ali shamefully pointed to himself in answer to those questions.

"YOU? But you're the most computer illiterate person I know! You couldn't even pass the entrance exam to the Computer Club when I tried to sign you up for it!" Jim exclaimed in disbelief.

"I deliberately failed the exam so that you would think that. I worked with Prof. Deitsu to hack the site and provide the false Anarchist site I showed you yesterday." Ali confessed.

"Enough beating around the bush, Ali! Start from the beginning and leave nothing out!" Prof. Takenouchi reminded.

Ali sighed heavily, sniffled once and in a choked up voice began telling everything: "Well, it all started about six months ago..."

* * *

"_A pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Medani. Just sign on the dotted line and all is set. You will receive your first payment within the next two weeks." Giman Uirusu indicated, pointing to a spot on the contract paper. Ali, flanked by his second in command Hussein on one side and an Ankokuwa guard on the other, signed his name in English – Ali Medani -where indicated to affirm the contract._

_ It was more an act of desperation than anything else. The college had stated they would cut off the Muslim Club's funding at the end of the semester and fundraising petitions had been met with cold shoulders. The call from the Ankokuwas seemed at the time a gift sent from Allah despite knowing what it implied._

_ However, the Ankokuwas had promised to hide that they were the source of the funding in exchange for the Muslim Club's help in infiltrating the college to capture its supercomputer, and Ali was sure all his efforts in teaching and leading could keep the club members from falling to the __corrupting influence of the Ankokuwa. He didn't know then he had planted the seeds now being reaped in his current agony...

* * *

_

"So you signed a contract with the Ankokuwas in exchange for their funding, and by the time you realized how much of a liability it was you couldn't back out of it?" Izzy asked. Ali slowly nodded in response.

"You gave us money so that we could do this campaign. That money you've been getting is probably tainted, maybe even stolen, and you blindly handed it over to us knowing that!" T.K. exclaimed angrily.

"He never told..." Christopher began in his broken Japanese speech.

"Never told what?" Ken asked.

"Christopher got a call from those people Ali's talking about at about the same time. He turned them down, even though we were low on funds ourselves. We knew that they would have the upper hand if we started accepting money from them. We didn't know the Muslim Club had received the same call and said yes, though..." the Japanese girl with the rosary explained.

"Did you ever try to get out of this deal you should never have made?" Jim asked.

"I did, after the TV station attack you guys defeated, but I found the barriers impossible to overcome..." Ali began again.

* * *

_Ali and Hussein were alone in the club's meeting room. "Hussein, we can't keep taking their money anymore! Not after they've threatened our fellow students! I'm going to motion a vote at the next club meeting to cut the Ankokuwa funding." Ali was trying to explain._

_ "Ali, they'll never vote for it." Hussein curtly stated._

_ "How are you so sure about that?" Ali asked in an accusatory tone._

_ "Have you looked at the club balance sheet lately?" Hussein replied, handing a slip of paper to Ali. He read it over, and his eyebrows went up in surprise and a bit of alarm._

_ "You've just seen those figures, Ali. They'll never vote to cut off that kind of funding, and if you even try to propose that vote I'll make sure that you cannot try to break the contract again." Hussein vaguely threatened._

_ "WHAT? You can't do that!" Ali exclaimed, his face flushing with irritation._

_ "Didn't you read the fine print of the contract you signed?If you had, Ali, you would've known that I, as second-in-command of the club, have permission by the Ankokuwa to take over at any time should you even consider backing out. That vote will never see the light of day because I won't let you even mention it!" Hussein explained arrogantly._

_ "What nonsense are you speaking?I am in charge here, not you!"_

_ "Would you rather I spoke of that... impropriety you had with Aisha during last Ramadan to the club as a whole?"_

_ "You wouldn't dare! You promised that you wouldn't breathe it to another living soul for as long as Aisha and I wanted it kept secret!" Ali yelled, seeing Hussein trying to blackmail him into defeat._

_ "The contract authorizes any means necessary, go read it. We are sticking to the contract, end of the story. If you don't like it, I have authorization to take over with whatever help I request from the Ankokuwa. Surely you don't want things to go that far, do you?"_

_ "I can't believe the words I'm hearing out of your mouth! You're making this whole thing up!"_

_ "I might be bluffing, but do you __**really**__ want to test that theory? Go look at the copy of the contract, while you still have time. They cannot afford us backing out now, and if you try they will be informed. I will see you later Ali." Hussein finished, walking out the door over Ali's objections._

_ When Ali checked the fine print, he realized that Hussein was indeed speaking the truth. Now __he was trapped in a contract with no way to get out without losing his respect or reputation, and likely both at the same time. Ali was still convinced, however, that he could lure his fellow group members away from the draw of money and power and thus make them immune to Ankokuwa manipulation...

* * *

_

"I never spoke a word of that meeting to anyone until now. I didn't want to frighten everyone else or set off Hussein's threat. Not even Aisha knew of this." Ali explained.

"Who's Aisha?" Kari asked.

Ali began to choke up again as he spoke: "She... was a member of the club. We'd grown to like each other a lot. Just before I would've graduated, I would've asked for her hand in marriage. Now... those evil desires have taken her from me, and I couldn't... I couldn't stop it!"

As Ali collapsed in tears again, the members of the DDLA looked at each other again. "It just like I said: do not underestimate the man or mon devoted wholeheartedly to a cause. Hussein, and maybe other members of your club, have been bought out by Ankokuwa money and promises of power. Just like the security forces and a good portion of the student body." Izzy soberly concluded.

"Then this whole campus is like tinder waiting for a match! Giman will set it all into chaos and turn it into his own personal domain to use against us and others against him. Today the college, tomorrow both the human and Digital Worlds!" T.K. proclaimed, sending a chill throughout the crowd.

Jim was kneeling beside Ali, trying to get Ali's attention. "Ali... Ali! We need to know where Giman is, so we can stop this disaster before it can start!" he pleaded, shaking Ali slightly as he spoke.

Ali looked up at the group of DigiDestined and students crowded around him with liquid eyes, sniffled and hung his head in shame. "I don't know if even you can stop the storm. Giman already has his plan in motion. Not Prof. Deitsu, not Prof. Urey, not the Anarchists, nor even I could stop you, so he has already struck this college, and soon he will take it by storm."

* * *

_Earlier that morning, both Ali and Prof. Deitsu had been in an unused computer lab, nervously working on a project, the black cloud of worry hanging over their heads. If the DigiDestined would show up for their big event as expected, Giman would send security men to capture them. They didn't want to think about what would happen once they were caught._

_ Pounding on the door confirmed their worst fears. As they looked at each other in dread, they heard a voice saying "Open up in there! The Boss wants you immediately!"_

_ Realizing that the DigiDestined were on campus again and all their efforts had been for nothing, both Ali and Prof. Deitsu knew that Giman had gone back on his promises and would hunt both of them down._

_ The pounding on the door came harder; soon they would start trying to break the door open. The two former moles could either run and try to get help, or give in and be punished for their failures._

_ "Ali, listen to me! All our efforts have failed, and Giman has sent those men to get rid of us. If they catch us here, it's game over! I need you to run, run far away, find someone who can get us help! Giman must be stopped now or he'll take control of this entire campus!" Prof. Deitsu ordered Ali, his voice strained with desperation._

_ "Professor, I can't let you do this! I'm not going to let you get arrested!" Ali pleaded. Louder poundings were heard from the door, along with shouted warnings._

_ "If we're both caught here, they'll be no way to warn anyone to Giman's plan! You need to go NOW before they break open the door!" Professor Deitsu insisted. The door shuddered as if a large weight had been thrown against it; the guards were trying to ram open the door._

_ "I'm not leaving you!"_

_ "DON'T ARGUE WITH ME! GO! RUN!"_

_ After one last look at both the desperate professor and the shuddering door, Ali took off in a __sprint toward a hallway leading out of the building. He glanced back over his shoulder and saw the guards succeeding in forcing the door open, spilling into the room, and Prof. Deitsu throwing his arms up in surrender. He kept running, going around a corner and down an empty hallway; nothing could be done for the professor now.

* * *

_

"Do you know where they might have taken Prof. Deitsu?" Kari asked.

"No, and even if I did, I don't know if you could help him. Giman has Prof. Deitsu and probably Prof. Urey too." Ali responded.

"That means the others still at the theater could be the next targets!" T.K. exclaimed.

"Right. Christopher, you and the three others with you go to the theater, warn them that the security forces could strike at any time and that the Digimon should be ready to defend against them should they strike." Izzy ordered.

"But what about Ali?" Christopher asked in his broken Japanese.

"We'll take care of him now. You need to warn the others lest Giman catch them unprepared." Izzy responded. Christopher nodded, beckoned the other three with him to follow, and lead the way out of the outbuilding. Now, Ali was with the DDLA, Jim and Prof. Takenouchi.

"After they grabbed Prof. Deitsu, where did you run to?" Ken asked Ali, trying to get him to resume the story.

"I ran to the first place I thought I could get help – the members of the Muslim Club. But... the light had already gone out. All my efforts were for nothing. I've... lost my love, lost the club!..."

* * *

_Heart pounding and head thumping, Ali didn't think to stop running until he sighted the Club Offices building, which contained the main meeting place and office of the Muslim Club. He had been there at dawn to lead the first prayer session of the day, but hadn't planned to come back until a little later for the second midmorning session. As he approached, he saw the building under lockdown, clusters of students watching security guards at the building entrances._

_ When Ali asked a student what was going on, the student answered that someone reported a student armed with a gun had entered the building and was holding hostages, the security guards trying to contain the violence and negotiate a deal with the hostage taker. This was alarming news, for Ali feared Giman was following through on his threats. He raced around the building, looking for an unguarded way in while he heard security and policemen shouting into the building in an attempt to lure out the gunman._

_ Unexpectedly, he found a security hole, an unguarded door on the back of the building, invisible from the crowds. He thought it odd that they would leave that door unguarded, and worried that if he went in he was walking into a trap. But his concern for his fellow club members overruled his caution and he plunged into the building, heart thumping heavily in his chest and head filled with worry, wondering how brave or foolish he was being._

_ He found the Muslim Club office, expecting a refuge. Instead, his heart filled with horror as he opened the door: the place had been trashed, papers scattered all over the floor, the club television smashed near a wall after apparently being hurled. A few bullet holes were in the walls, indicating the gunman had been here._

_ What caught Ali's attention the most was the corner nearest the door, where he saw a torn wall hanging covering what looked like three students. Moving on tiptoe, he pulled back the cover to reveal a girl in a head scarf and two boys. The girl was laying on the two boys, rolled over on her stomach so that her face couldn't be seen. When Ali touched each of them, none of them had a pulse, and all three of them showed signs of being shot at least once. He was unprepared for this because nothing he had heard from the security outside the building suggested that the gunman was offing his hostages._

_ Fearing for what he would see, he rolled the girl over and was met with the face of Aisha, eyes now eternally closed. Holding her hand, he was numb with shock and horror for a moment, then broke down and wept, falling to his knees crying. She was gone, and his failures had caused this.

* * *

_

Ali stopped again, overcome with tears. Through his sobs he managed to get out: "I... couldn't do anything! For three years... I worked and sacrificed... preaching and teaching... trying to show this place... we were not evil! But the monster... still showed up... I failed... that madman has taken... everything from me!"

"It's just like what Christopher told me the first time I asked him about your campaign: 'The hearts of men are deceitful above all else, and for the right price the better angels of our nature can be suppressed.' His worst fears have come to pass." Jim realized.

"Was there no way to get help for them? No ambulance? No way to let the security outside know about it?" Kari asked.

"No, no, they were already gone by the time I found them. The building was under lockdown, no calls in or out, and the security wouldn't believe me if I tried to talk to them." Ali explained as he came out of his weeping.

"Well what happened next? Did you see the gunman?" T.K. questioned.

Ali's expression suddenly changed from despair to venomed hatred, clenching teeth and glaring eyes through the tear streaks. His voice also became much louder and more forceful than he had been speaking: "YES, that traitor to me and the faith, selling his soul to the underworld for money and power! I met with him, and was horrified with what he had become!..."

* * *

_Ali's weeping was interrupted by a voice calling his name. He turned around, facing toward the center of the room, and stood up. In front of him was another horrible sight, Hussein wearing American "gansta" clothes and with a red "A" tattooed on his forehead. A pistol was in his right hand, barrel pointed to Ali. Behind Hussein, he could see two other club members wielding the supposedly ceremonial swords in the club display to keep a small group of bound hostages in line._

_ Ali's hands went up over his head, noting Hussein's evil, almost demonic, expression as he pointed the pistol at his supposed superior. "__**What... what kind of madness is this?!?"**__ Ali asked in loud accusatory tones._

_ "Shut up Ali, just SHUT UP! You have no power over me anymore." Hussein answered._

_ "Brother in the faith, what are you doing? What madness has inflicted you?" Ali pleaded with watery eyes._

_ Hussein launched a scathing rebuke: "You failed us, Ali. You failed us all. I've taken over in accordance with the deal of the contract. I have made sure that we will get the respect we deserve. Your girlfriend and a couple others objected to this, and I silenced them with this tool provided to me by Giman. Where they have ended up, I do not know or care. I had two accomplices subdue the rest of the members here."_

_ "Hussein, my dearest friend and faith brother, have my years of teaching and sacrifice made no difference to you? Have you succumbed to their evil so much that you would follow their ways?"_

_ "Shut up, Ali! The Ankokuwas have promised us all the money we could ever want, and power to rule over this campus alongside them. Do you think I was going to let your failures to stop those kids with the Digimon from jeopardizing that promise, Ali?"_

_ "You have taken innocent lives. Lives of brothers and sisters in the faith! You have betrayed me, my efforts and the behavior of every decent Muslim!"_

_ "Ali, for three years now we've tried things your way and they've never worked. I'm tired of having to constantly apologize for ourselves, I'm tired of having to get on our hands and knees and beg __for funding from the college, I'm tired of being treated with suspicion everywhere I go! The Ankokuwa will give us everything we can ever want: money, power, respect! But only if their plan works, Ali, you understand?You and the two professors have failed to stop those kids, and the plan is in jeopardy. I cannot afford to let the plan fail, which is why I have taken over here. You are now useless, Ali. Leave immediately before I am forced to silence you too!"_

_ Ali took a long look at the gun in Hussein's hand, the demonic fire in Hussein's eyes and the hostages silently begging Ali for help. The world he knew, that he had tried so hard to cultivate, was gone. "Hussein, don't you understand? You've become the very thing we set out to destroy! Do your oaths mean nothing anymore?" Ali exclaimed in despair._

_ "I don't need those oaths anymore. I don't need this club anymore. I may not even need this religion anymore. The Ankokuwa will provide everything for us, not Allah. You and all those that follow you are now obsolete, hindrances to the path of glory. I have pacified the rest of the group with my two followers, and YOU must leave this place. Leave and never come back, for the moment you do your life will be forfeit!" Hussein gave as an ultimatum._

_ Ali, an expression of panic on his face, looked toward the hostages. He took one step toward them but was blocked by Hussein pressing the gun to his chest. "You make one more step toward them and I will end them all!" Hussein threatened, the fire in his eyes undiminished. The hostages gave yelps of fear after Hussein spoke._

_ "Let them go, they've done you no harm! It's me they want, not them! Let them go, and you can take me to Giman. You've done enough damage already!" Ali attempted to negotiate._

_ "I'm sorry, Ali, I'm afraid I can't do that. You see, I want them to see you sweat and weep and panic, so that they can see for sure who is __**really**__ in charge now. Whether by your own decision or by my tools, you are leaving this place. You have 30 seconds to leave before I start firing... and the clock is ticking, Ali." Hussein answered, a distinct click coming from the gun after the word firing._

_ Ali backed in the direction of the door, looking alternately at the hostages, Hussein with his gun, and the three lifeless club members in the corner. The hostages were silently pleading with him to run, and Hussein's expression was as fiery as ever. "Can't... can't I at least have a moment to say good-bye to Aisha? Give her a proper farewell?" Ali asked Hussein._

_ "NO, Ali. You have 15 seconds and the clock is still ticking." Hussein reminded. He was advancing as slowly as Ali was retreating toward the door. Ali finally managed to feel out the door handle and grab it, but didn't open the door. He looked toward the hostages, perhaps hoping one of them would try to put up a struggle and save him._

_ "Don't be a fool, Ali. Don't make me have to get rid of you too." Hussein gave one last warning. Ali, realizing time was almost up, looked at the hostages desperately pleading with him to go and save himself, then opened the door and rushed around to the other side, slamming it shut behind him. An instant later, Ali heard a gunshot and a bullet hole appeared in the door less than an inch beside where his head had been. In mortal terror, Ali took off down the hallway, looking behind him to make sure Hussein wasn't coming out behind him shooting._

_ What followed was an indeterminate period of confusion and mortal danger as the shouts of security guards moving through the building echoed through the corridors, making Ali aware of the trap he had set off. They were hunting him, trying to catch him, apparently trying to convince the outside world he was the gunman! At least once, the security guard's machine guns had fired in his direction, pocking a nearby wall with bullet holes...

* * *

_

The group had listened to Ali's tragic tale silently and grimly, but when he reached the part with the chase he stopped for a moment to let things sink in. Things had advanced far beyond what they had even conceived, and disaster could only now be averted by a direct strike on Giman. As it was, a horrible tragedy surrounding Ali and the corruption of members of his club had already taken place, and now they had very little time to prevent that tragedy from being spread everywhere across campus. The DigiDestined could not afford to have Giman take control of the University of Odaiba and its supercomputer to use as he pleased.

Ali was speaking again through tears, half to himself: "You would think if you preached and teached enough the monster would be kept away, but I couldn't stop it! Three years of effort undone with three bullets, and there was nothing I could do! I saw that monster in Hussein; I wanted to think those who did violent acts in Allah's name were just misled by bad teaching, but I have seen that they are corrupt, chasing after glory and money and power. I faulted once, thinking I could hold the evil back, but it has destroyed everything I held dear to me! What will become of me now?!?"

"Ali, if you don't tell us where Giman is, that kind of disaster will be spread all over campus! We need to know NOW!" Izzy insisted.

"How did you get out of the building anyways?" Kari asked.

Ali answered in phrases: "I was running... cornered into dead end... thought it was all over... next thing I know... Christopher and the three with him... tackled the guard... knocked him out."

"Christopher and the other members of his club, the ones we just met?" Ken asked.

"Yes, somehow... they followed me in... took down the guard that cornered me. He told me... sometimes evil must be fought... using physical weapons. I told them to take me to you, that it was important to find you immediately, and they escorted me to you guys." Ali explained.

"So that's how you got here, but we still don't know where Giman is." Ken summed up.

"Ali, time is running out, so I'm only going to ask you once. **Where. Is. Giman?**" Prof. Takenouchi questioned.

* * *

Ali blew out a sigh. "No one is supposed to know, but Giman has been hiding on the campus for the past week, conducting the entire conspiracy, for that is what it is, from the supercomputer complex. He will reveal himself only if he strikes. The outside security is party to his conspiracy and hiding him in the complex. Only myself, Hussein, Prof. Deitsu and Prof. Urey know he's there, not even the police have been told." he began to explain. "I will guide you to the location if only to help avenge the innocents he has already taken from this world. I do not know whether the two professors are there or not, but if they are they must be rescued."

"How likely do you think we'll be able to flush him out?" Izzy asked.

"Not likely, the security is tight around that place and if you approached, you would get attacked. Giman would know if you tried to break in and he may have a trap waiting for you."

"We're not worried about traps, we're worried about running out of time. He might strike if we infiltrate the complex." T.K. noted.

"We'll have to take that risk, T.K. Giman will strike soon regardless of whatever we do, and if we're by his base we're in the best place to stop things before they get out of hand." Ken stated.

"All right, here's what we're going to do. All of us, including Jim and Prof. Takenouchi, are going in full throttle! Ali, you'll guide us to the location and through the building to Giman while our Digimon will help protect you from whatever attacks may come. The Digimon should not attack first, but only respond to attacks from the security forces. And above all, **keep moving**. We'll have to improvise as we go along because we don't have time to lay out a full plan. We need to go NOW!" Izzy laid out. In turn each group member nodded in acknowledgment, and the entire group prepared to move out.

All except Kari. She and Gatomon sat by the still mournful Ali, who at this point had run out of tears to cry and was slowly wiping off the remaining moisture on his face. She clenched his free left hand between her two own, a solitary expression of group sympathies. Ali looked at her and she quietly asked "Are you scared of going into that place?"

"This evil man has just taken everything I cared about from me. I am prepared to fight him off, even if it means sacrificing myself. I do not wish to become a martyr, but if it will mean stopping a college-wide disaster and the loss of more innocents then so be it. Giman has left me no other path to follow. The only worry I have now is that you can still forgive me for the deceptions he forced me to perform to you..."

"Hey, don't worry, you've come to the right people." Kari said through a modest smile, the first seen since Ali arrived. Ali's face changed to a sadly skeptical look. "If we still get to have our big event, you'll understand. Now, though, we have to stop Giman. It's the only way to prevent disaster, and we need you. Let's get going." Kari affirmed, a determined look on her face...

**Tragedy has already struck, but the DigiDestined are ready to counterattack with the help of Ali and the information he has provided. However, is it already too late to stop Giman's master plan from taking over the University of Odaiba? Find out in Part 4, "Bugspray!"**


	4. Part 4: Bugspray!

**Part 4: Bugspray!**

Date: Saturday February 28th, 2004

Time: 10:30 am

Place: Somewhere on the University of Tokyo Odaiba campus...

The DDLA team (Ken, Wormmon, Kari, Gatomon, Izzy, Tentomon, T.K. and Patamon), assisted by Jim, Prof. Takenouchi and Ali Medani, were watching from behind a building corner, out of sight of any potential security threats. Around them was a tense and alarmed college, word having gotten around of the shooting in the college offices that was in reality one piece of a greater conspiracy lead by Giman Uirusu; already it had taken innocent lives and now the DDLA, trusting in Christopher and other members of the college's Christian Club to warn their fellow DigiDestined, were working to prevent total disaster and the success of the conspiracy.

"There, that's where he'll be." Ali was saying to the rest of the group, motioning toward a newer, two-story building with a glass lobby. "The supercomputer complex is in the belowground floors. I can get you in the building with my green security card, but you'll have to get a white all-access card somehow in order to get where Giman is hiding. They'll probably have guards waiting in the lobby and patrolling the belowground floors, so keep moving and be prepared to counterattack if you come across them."

"What will you do once we're in?" Jim asked.

"If I can, I'll get out of this place and get the city police in here. The university force is compromised, and I can go nowhere else for help. Either that or I will become a martyr trying. There is nothing more I can do now."

"Ali, don't try that alone! Go to the theater and get one of our friends to escort you, you're more likely to succeed that way." T.K. suggested.

"I do not know if I will be able to reach them now. They are needed here, I am not. This is something I must do myself, something I must do to save the remaining innocents that were my disciples and avenge those already taken from me."

"Well, whatever you decide to do, be careful." Izzy advised.

"I will. Let's get going." Ali affirmed.

* * *

The group now moved out, Kari and T.K. with their Digimon partners in front of Ali, Izzy and Ken with their partners flanking him, and Jim and Prof. Takenouchi bringing the rear. Though the area around the building was deserted, the group moved only at a fast walk to avoid drawing undue attention to themselves. They saw security guards on the second floor balcony with their guns pointed toward the enterance: Giman's welcoming party. The moment had been prepared for.

The Digimon on edge, the humans in a nervous sweat, the group approached the security door. As Ali approached the card lock, one of the guards fired a warning shot, shattering a pane of glass near the security door. That would be the only warning the group would get.

The next few moments were a chaotic blur of motion and fear as Ali's card opened the door and the group rushed in full speed dodging bullet fire through the lobby and down a hallway leading underground. Jim was the last one in, and as he looked back at Ali, who had already turned to flee, part of the security door shattered and Ali went down on his face. Jim, acting on instinct, turned around and went back through the door as several more bullets whizzed past him, half-dragging the stumbling Ali away as he saw the guards leave their sniping posts and head down toward the lobby.

The two students ducked behind a retaining wall, Ali's face screwed tight in pain. Jim saw that he had been hit in the lower back, making it very difficult for Ali to walk on his own. "Come on Ali, we need to get you out of here! You need an ambulance NOW!" Jim said, looking over the wall at the guards scanning the area in front of the building. After a moment, the guards walked back into the building, and Jim assisted Ali to his feet, moving as fast as the two of them could away from the site...

* * *

It was only after the DDLA with Prof. Takenouchi had gotten into the underground complex that they stopped to count who was still around. "What happened to Jim?" T.K. breathlessly asked.

"He... must've gone with... Ali. We can't... do anything... about it now." Izzy answered just as breathlessly.

"We need a plan. We'll get caught if we stand around in this utility closet too long." Professor Takenouchi warned.

Ken was peeking down the hallway through a crack in the door. He could see a pair of security guards at the far end, talking to each other, pointing in various directions. He knew the security would be on full alert with them in those underground levels. They needed two guards knocked out to get their white cards, but how to go about it?

Ken pulled back from his observations, looked down at Wormmon and Gatomon by his feet, and a devious smirk, only somewhat visible in the near-darkness of the closet, spread across his face. Gatomon and Wormmon looked at each other with worry.

* * *

"I hope you realize that no one can really see us like this, SO embarrasing... I hope you got a good grip on the ceiling, Wormmon." Gatomon was saying, clinging to the thick string coming from Wormmon's mouth while the latter was upside down on the ceiling. This plan had been put into place by Ken over the objections of the two Digimon, and Gatomon in particular had been glad the lighting in the underground sections was deliberately kept low.

"You know I never realized you had such pretty eyes." Wormmon mumbled through his mouthful of string.

"Shut up already!" Gatomon complained, eyes glaring in the dim lighting.

"Pipe down guys, they're coming!" Kari whispered loudly from the closet hiding spot, where they planned to spring from once the guards walked into the two Digimon trap laid for them.

The rest of the group watched through a peak in the closet door as a pair of guards appeared at the far end of the hallway. One guard made a motion for his partner to check down a "T-junction" near where the closet was while he went straight down the hallway.

Coming across the dangling string, the annoyed guard tried to pull it down, which triggered Wormmon to cut the string and Gatomon to come down on the guard's head. When the partner, hearing the commotion from the scuffle between Gatomon and the guard, came back to help, Wormmon fired a substance resembling spider silk into his face, temporarily blinding him.

The rest of the group spilled out of the closet, knocking over the first guard and then pinning down the second guard desperately clawing at his face to remove the sticky covering. After a short beatdown involving all the human group members, the second guard was out cold while the disoriented first guard was KOed when Gatomon knocked him hard into a wall. The team worked efficiently, filching the white cards displayed on the guards, tossing the guns and walkie-talkies the guards carried to Tentomon (who quickly rendered them useless with a **Super Shocker** attack) and finally stuffing the guards into the closet where they had been hiding.

"You know, that's the first time I've ever seen him actually doing something useful." T.K. breathlessly commented to Ken as Wormmon detached from the ceiling and fell into Ken's arms.

"Better late than never. Wormmon, seal the door lock please." Ken commented.

"With pleasure, Ken!" Wormmon answered, spraying the spider-silk like substance into the closet door lock to seal it tight and prevent the guards from escaping too early.

"Everyone alright?" Professor Takenouchi asked. When they all responded affirmatively, the group took off through the hallways again, using the poorly-lit directional signs to guide them toward where the supercomputer had been installed...

* * *

The group eventually stopped in front at a fork in the corridor in front of them. There were no side corridors at this point, so the Digimon were watching behind them for any guards that might have been coming in that direction. The signs showed this was the maintenance access for the ring of direct-access terminals around the supercomputer as well as the supercomputer itself, but both doors had card locks that required white cards.

"Suggestions?" Prof. T asked, panting with exhaustion.

"Ken, take the other white card. You and T.K. try the right door, having your partners watching the door while you look. Kari and I will do the same with the left door. Professor, stay here and watch for any guards that might come this way. I have a feeling were close to him, but I don't know how close we are." Izzy ordered out.

Quickly the group split into two, Izzy and Ken trying the stolen white cards on their respective doors and gaining enterance. The groups disappeared through the doors, leaving the professor watching down the hallway alone with great anxiety...

* * *

Through the left door stumbled Kari and Izzy, with Tentomon and Gatomon behind them. The four stumbled through a short, dark corridor into an almost square room containing an unusual mixture of equipment. On one side of the room were several terminals, all with white text scrolling over a black screen. On the other side was a softly glowing incubator flanked by tables holding up what could only be described as oversized egg cups. A soft green glow eminated from within two of the cups, both of which had wires streaming out from them across to the terminals. The group went over to the side of the room with the incubator first, looking in to see something utterly shocking...

"Digieggs?!?" Kari exclaimed, Izzy beside her observing the pair of colorful, oversized eggs sitting in the incubator.

"Indeed, this is what he's been hiding down here. He's using the data he stole from Willis to build his own Digieggs. This is why he wants the college and its supercomputer: he's going to turn this place into a Digimon factory and its students into slave labor, building an army to take over this world and maybe the DigiWorld too." Izzy soberly concluded.

"What do we do about the eggs?"

"Nothing, we can't get them anyplace safer than where they are now. However, let me take a look at the computers..." Izzy answered as he went over to the other side of the room, peering at the text scrolling on one of the computer terminal screens.

While Izzy examined the computer, Kari looked into the glowing egg cups by the incubator and saw there was a green glowing crystal in each of the cups similar to those captured in the Digital World earlier. When Kari mentioned this, Izzy answered with "Somehow Giman's using the stolen computer data and those green crystals to build Digieggs in the real world, the construction program is running on the terminals now. Kari, give those crystals to me, we can use them later. Tentomon and Gatomon, you two sabotage the terminals to stop the program. We'll worry about the eggs later."

The four went to work, Kari knocking over the empty egg cups and giving the crystals that spilled out to Izzy (who pocketed them) while Gatomon and Tentomon attacked the terminals, Tentomon shorting them out with his **Super Shocker **attack and Gatomon smashing the equipment with physical attacks. When the group was done, the room was a mess of smashed, sparking equipment save for the incubator, which they left intact to prevent losing the Digieggs. The four of them hurried out of the room back to the fork junction, then took the other door using their card.

* * *

The right door lead into a corridor of fair length, which abruptly ended in a brightly-lit room around a sharp corner. Just before the corner, Kari, Gatomon, Izzy and Tentomon found the rest of the group (including Prof. Takenouchi, who had apparently been let in this corridor) listening intently to the loud voices coming from the bright room.

"What's going on here?" Izzy asked in a whisper.

T.K. turned and replied just as quietly "We came down this corridor and stopped here because we heard voices. Ken let the professor in to see if he recognized anyone, but he didn't so we decided to wait for you in case it was a trap or something."

"We need to see what's going on in there. I don't like what I'm hearing, and if we don't do something soon we're going to get caught here." Prof. Takenouchi warned.

"I agree, we're going to risk a peek now." Ken concurred. Quickly the group peaked around the corner through a doorway into the brightly-lit room. Once their eyes adjusted to the room's brightness, they saw yet another dismaying sight.

Prowling around the room was Giman himself, handgun in his hand but firing bullets with his speech. Two security men stood at attention in the back of the room. In the center were two men, each one having hands and feet bound to a chair; they were quickly recognizable as Prof. Deitsu and Prof. Urey, both co-conspirators that had failed in their mission and now were being tortured verbally by Giman as a result.

"I am tired of excuses! Traitor Ali has let the enemy into these halls, and even now they may be listening to us! The entire plan is in jeopardy, and it's ALL your fault!" Giman was yelling, brandishing the handgun in their direction.

"We tried, we tried our hardest! But those Anarchists didn't press the attack, all they wanted to do was grab the attention of the cameras!" Prof. Deitsu was pleading.

"At least they still have a use, while you two have no use to me any longer! Give me a good reason why I should not dispose of both of you right now!"

"YOU PROMISED! You promised me I would get a seat here!" Prof. Urey shouted, the words ringing out down the corridor.

"Promises are not kept for **failures**, Uizaka! You forfeited that when you failed to drive those Digimon kids off the campus and stop their activities!" Giman snapped out, handgun pointing toward Urey.

* * *

"Uizaka? I thought his name was Urey..." T.K. asked in a whisper.

"Yeah, though Uizaka rings a bell for some reason..." Izzy replied, face in a thoughtful expression.

"Prof. Higame Uizaka, that's the name. He was denied tenure at Osaka University two years ago because of evidence of scientific misconduct, and he does look a lot like Urey." Prof. Takenouchi added, carefully observing the fear-creased face of Prof. Urey as he spoke.

"Giman must've approached Prof. Uizaka with an offer of a position here, then disguised him as Urey to get him on campus and help Ali and Prof. Deitsu drive us out. Now because that plan failed, he is a hostage of Giman." Izzy concluded.

"Giman's going to shoot them, can't we do something?" Kari pleaded, eyes softening with concern and worry.

"I don't know Kari. I just don't know." T.K. replied with equal amounts of concern and worry in his voice.

"Why are you going after him? My failure was greater; get rid of me if you must, but don't harm him!" Prof. Deitsu was pleading to Giman when the DDLA returned attention to the events going on in the room.

"Neither the degree of failure nor the brillance of the mind matter to me. You are both useless and to be disposed of." Giman answered in chilling seriousness.

"We are more useful to you alive! I can help you in caring for the creatures, and Deitsu can maintain your computer systems!" Uizaka pleaded again.

"I do not need more flunkies maintaining the workings, I need agents to bring success and glory. You have both failed, so I will make examples of both of you. Examples to that traitor Ali. Examples to anyone who dares to defy my will and dreams!"

"There is no other way?" Prof. Deitsu asked.

"No, there isn't." Giman replied just as coldly as before.

* * *

"No one else is going to die today!" T.K. loudly proclaimed, the DDLA group motivated to step into the bright light of the room, each member (even Prof. Takenouchi) in a fighting stance. The attentions of Giman and the two bound professors turned to them, and the guards rushed to beside Giman, aiming their guns at the group.

After a moment's pause, Giman turned to face the DDLA spread before him, his gun pointing at them as well. His face flushed a red-purple color and he exclaimed "I don't know how you meddling kids got down here without the guards catching you, but you're already too late! You cannot stop this plan now, nor can you save this college! I have made my victory certain, and soon you will all bow before me!"

"Give it up, Giman! We've already destroyed the terminals your programs were running on. There's nothing more you can use here!" Izzy countered. Giman's face became even more purple, and he reacted with gestures only: having the guards keep their weapons on the group, then slowly making a circle around the horrified professors with gun again pointed at them.

The DDLA watched in horror as Giman stopped in front of Prof. Uizaka again, the gun pressing to the professor's chest. Uizaka was shaking and sweating all over, making gasping pleadings not to shoot him.

Giman cast a demonically evil glance over at the DDLA watching him, then turned and bored his expression into the horror on Prof. Uizaka, almost relishing it as he spoke again, loud enough to allow the DDLA to hear: "Your failure has been manifest in front of you, and this is the last you will ever see of this world. I hope the next one will treat you better."

For a brief silent moment, an evil grin spread over Giman's face as the sweating, pleading Uizaka, joined by Deitsu, begged him not to shoot. When this evil grin had fully spread across his face, Giman pulled the gun trigger; a shot rang out, and the chair Uizaka was tied to fell back onto the floor. Hit through the heart, Prof. Higame Uizaka was gone when the chair back hit the floor.

Kari let out a long, dismayed "NOOOOOOOOOO!", and, as if getting some unspoken cue, the guards beside Giman opened fire on the group. Gatomon, having seen this attack coming, used her psychic powers to put up a barrier over the group to deflect the bullets. When the guards stopped firing in surprise because of this, all the Digimon counterattacked at once, knocking out both guards.

Giman raised his handgun to fire at them himself, but rage-driven Ken and T.K. rushed him and pulled him down, both boys attacking his face with punches. Meanwhile, Izzy, Kari and Prof. Takenouchi went over to Prof. Deitsu and worked his bonds loose, glancing over at the rolling Giman trying to get T.K. and Ken off him and fire the handgun still in his hands.

Giman succeeded in getting T.K. and Ken off him just as the last of the bonds were being undone, and the DDLA went into full retreat out the doors and down the hallway, Giman firing several narrowly-missing shots. Prof. Takenouchi was at the tail of the group, assisting Prof. Deitsu; as the men left the room, one of Giman's shots hit Prof. Deitsu's right arm and another Prof. Takenouchi's left arm, in both cases causing intense pain. In spite of this, the two professors escaped down the hallway as well.

The two recovering guards started in pursuit, but Giman called a halt. "Let them go, it is already too late for them to stop the plan." he explained. "The countdown is being moved down to zero. Activate 'Operation Bugspray' immediately!"

The guards responded by going to one of the room's walls and beginning to toggle switches and press buttons on an otherwise uninteresting console. "I have made sure they will not leave this campus alive. The Ankokuwa will soon be victorious, and this campus will be mine forever!" Giman proclaimed, ending with an evil chuckle as the soldiers continued to work the console...


	5. Part 5: The Dogs of War

**Part 5: The Dogs of War**

Date: February 28th, 2004

Time: Approx. 11:30am

Place: Odaiba University, Odaiba, Tokyo

The effects of those flipped switches in the underground hiding place of Giman Uirusu were immediate and profoundly devastating. The first switch sent a signal to the devices which had been handed out the previous day; several students later told of the devices being handed out with a promise of a hefty reward for following the directions, which were to "answer" the device, listen to the instructions that were transmitted, then strap it to the forehead so that a camera faced outward. It was estimated that between one in five and one in six students signed up to get the device, and later it was revealed that each one had been promised a reward starting at 100,000 US Dollars and going up based on how much destruction they ultimately cause.

You can therefore imagine the disruption that resulted when every fifth or sixth student in a room received "the call", answered the device (which they kept on their person at all times), strapped the device to their foreheads, then after a few tense seconds randomly began assaulting their fellow students or tossing loose objects everywhere. One student described what the attacking students were seeing as "like a video game" - a counter of their monetary reward was projected in front of their eyes from the bottom of the device, which increased with each object destroyed or injury given to another student. The device also began playing a loop of the same set of words over and over again - "Hurt! Injure! Maim! Destroy! Dominate! Long live the Ankokuwas!" - in such a subliminal manner so that the students doing the attacking wouldn't stop or back out. Finally, the device occasionally projected a rainbow flash of color so as to deter the thought process from occurring.

This was very successful, and the student attacks triggered the second effect: the security men abandoning their previous posts, as per previously-given directions, and joining the revolting students, spreading even more havoc as the attacked students fled in panic from the bullets being fired in their direction. University police officers were struck down immediately by their supposed allies; at the police headquarters, monitor footage showed the security head confronted the overwhelmed and dismayed police chief at gunpoint, saying "We have met the enemy and he pays better!" and firing once to silence the chief forever. Within minutes, almost the entire university police force was either dead or incapacitated, and effective resistance had ceased.

Another effect resulting from the flipped console switches was the sabotage of the entire college computer network, servers and personal computers alike turning explosive as the "anti-theft boxes" installed on that hardware by the Ankokuwa-bought security force revealed their true purpose. Many students and staff were injured by the exploding equipment, and several fires started as well, burning out of control because there was no way to combat any of them. At the college broadcasting station, the radio and TV transmitting tower fell over by strategically placed explosive charges triggered by a second transmission from another flipped switch on the console, smashing into another building and ripping a big chunk out of it as the tower came down.

Within three minutes of the switches being flipped, order had become total chaos, with the rebel students, driven by the promise of money and an induced "blood fever", and the turncoat security force (having been bribed into secretly betraying the college with a sum of money later estimated to be over ten million US dollars) rapidly gaining control of the college for Giman and the Ankokuwas...

* * *

While events were unfolding above, the DDLA was racing through the underground corridors in an attempt to escape a security reprisal on their infiltration and terminal destruction. At least twice, security guards stood in their path only to be knocked over by a coordinated Digimon attack. Now as they returned aboveground, still running through the hallways, they couldn't shake the feeling of a catastrophe unfolding before them.

After another rush through the lobby they exited the building through shattered windows and stopped in full view of the chaos. Students were running to and fro, being chased by other students with the devices strapped to their heads (and wielding whatever weapon was handy at the time) or by firing security guards. All of the surrounding buildings showed some degree of damage, mostly shattered windows and bullet holes, but at least one had the glow of fire coming from the broken windows. Students were beating up other students with baseball bats, tree limbs and any other sturdy object they could get their hands on. A student refused to give way to a security offer, who answered with a shot of his gun and the student dropping to the ground.

As the DDLA looked around gaping at the disaster in dismay, several attacking students noticed them and charged to attack, an unmistakably animalistic fire in their eyes. The Digimon's counterattacks dropped them cold, and as the human DDLA members surveyed the unconscious students arrayed in front of them, they turned and looked at each other with wide eyes; immediately they knew Giman had succeeded with his conspiracy.

"We need to find the others, we need to get help. We must fight back somehow!" Kari finally stated determinately to break the silence, speaking for everyone else in the group...

* * *

About 12:00 pm...

The members of the DDLA along with their fellow DigiDestined were watching grimly from their hiding place behind bushes overlooking the University Green, where the masses of armed students assisted by a few security men were herding the students toward. The buzzing of those students with dismay and worry for their futures was matched by the sound of the newscopters hovering over the gathering throng. The whole city now knew of Giman's takeover, but the city police force had been forced into a standoff at the college's four gates and could do nothing to retake the college or even let in the emergency services summoned during the chaos.

"We're just glad everyone's safe." Izzy stated, breaking the solemn silence.

"**We **are glad Christian was around to warn us. We were rushed when the chaos broke out, but the Digimon repelled all the attacks and we were able to get out of the theater safely. When we first saw the students being herded to the Green, we came here figuring that if you got through everything in one piece you would come here too." Tai explained.

"You know what happened to Christian and those with him?" T.K. asked.

"No clue, they could be anywhere and in any condition. They said they would try to spread a warning amongst the students by word of mouth, but I don't think it helped."

"What about my dad? Is he safe?" Sora asked, face creased with worry.

"And Jim? What happened to him?" Joe added.

"We had to confront Giman himself in the computer complex. Jim we left behind when we first entered as well as Ali, I don't know where either of them are now. Sora, your dad came with us to the confrontation, he tried to save another professor and I don't know what happened to either of them. Giman was firing though, so I don't know whether he got hit or not; we were in a hurry to escape and we lost track of the two..." Izzy tried to explain to his fellow DigiDestined as sympathetically as possible given the circumstances.

At this news, Joe's face paled ghastly and Sora looked to be on the verge of crying, the latter hugging Biyomon for comfort. "I... Biyomon and I have to get out of here, find Mom, tell her what's happened. She needs to know!" Sora pleaded.

"No Sora, we need you here! Already too many innocent people have been hurt or even killed, and we need your help if we have any chance of saving this place from Giman's mad plans!" Matt countered, temporarily stopping Sora from trying to sneak out of the group hiding place.

"But what can we do from here? What we need is some kind of plan!" Yolei insisted.

"That you are definitely right on. Izzy and I will need to think it over..." Ken replied.

"Look!" Kari exclaimed, pointing toward the flagpole at the head of the Green. All eyes in the group turned toward in that direction, and they could see that with great ceremony the Japanese and college flags were being lowered from the pole, quickly replaced with the Ankokuwa banner of a bright red "A" on a gray background. This event set up even more of a dismayed buzz in the student populace, realizing that Giman now owned their futures and their lives.

"I don't like the look of this, I don't like it one little bit." Cody stated, clutching his kendo stick (he had brought it to show off at the event which might not now ever occur), face ready to fight.

"Yeah, I don't like it either, but you heard what Yolei said. We need a plan and we need it now! Surely we can Digivolve our Digimon and scatter his force with our attacks!" Davis suggested.

"Yes, but we need to go about it the right way..." Ken replied, looking down at the buzzing crowd. As several buildings burned unchecked, a squad of Giman's security men were going into the administration buildings and bringing out a number of people in suits and ties (probably high administration members of the college), leading them to the makeshift stage constructed on the Green around which the student body was clustered.

Ken took a good scoping look of the area of the University Green, thought for a few moments, then turned and looked at his fellow DigiDestined with the face of a man inspired. "I have a plan, but I need everyone's cooperation on this..." he began to explain.

* * *

About 12:30pm...

The electrically-tense crowd was focused on the improvised stage set up on the center of the Green. On there were the college president and most of the other senior staff, each one with their hands and feet bound and forced into a submissive bow. Lined up on the stage, the display had been deliberately engineered by Giman to provoke fear and submission amongst the students huddled in the crowd, which held to a loud buzz.

Meanwhile, the outside city was again riveted to the TV news as choppers showed the gathered students and the police standoff that had developed at the college's four gates. There seemed to be no way to save the college or even get a police breakthrough, but even then the trapped DigiDestined were acting against Giman's designs...

One security guard had a camera recording the events on Giman's orders, supposedly for posterity or to get material for a propaganda movie. Up to this point, he had been slowly walking between the hostages, panning over the crowd and looking down at those tied up on the stage. Now, he turned to catch Giman as he triumphantly emerged from the computer complex, its facade still showing the evidence of damage from the previous battles. As he approached the stage flanked by two guards carrying Ankokuwa banners, the buzz of the crowd became even louder, and a few students began moaning in despair, having recognized Giman and knowing what his entrance meant to them.

The camera recorded Giman walking up the steps of the stage, the guards beside him planting their flags on each end of the stage. The crowd fell silent again as Giman paced the length of the stage and back, alternately looking at the transfixed crowd and the defiant hostage staff.

When he stopped, he was behind the college president. He looked out at the crowd and began his speech, his words booming out without the assistance of a microphone: "This in front of you, dear students, is your senior staff. Without them, this college cannot remain a college. Because they did not cooperate with me in giving over their supercomputer when I asked for it, each one of them will suffer the consequences of their decisions. I am in control of this place now, and I have no use for any stuffy higher learning. All in this place will submit to my will and my orders to build the great and glorious empire of the Ankokuwa. Know that you are witnessing the end of the world as you knew it and the beginning of the world of the Ankokuwas! Long live the Ankokuwa Empire!"

Both the crowd of students and the cameraman on the stage watched as another security man walked up the stage's steps and toward Giman, holding in hand a samurai sword with a strip of gold at the top and a gold handle. This security man bowed before him and presented the sword to Giman, who took it, examined it and with a satisfied nod dismissed the man that had brought it to him. Giman glared once at the crowd to silence the buzz that had been building up again, then turned and walked over to the college president at the head of the line.

Using his free left hand, he forced the president's head down, exposing the back of the neck. As the cameraman and crowd watched, he moved to the president's left side, holding his hair in his left hand and controlling the sword with his right, touching its blade to the back of the president's neck to test his aim; he could feel the totally helpless executive shaking and moaning in his posture of submission. "Do not worry, it will be over quickly. Ankokuwa blades are always kept sharp." Giman darkly reassured the president.

Giman looked up at the fixed crowd, his right hand pressing the blade against the back of the president's neck. "Look and see the end of your futures... and the beginning of the Ankokuwa Empire!" he proclaimed.

The crowd was transfixed on him in helpless silence and dismay, completely under his control. He raised the blade, focusing on the neck target...

* * *

**"Nova Blast!"**

Everyone present in the square turned in the direction of the flagpole to see Greymon, having positioned himself while the crowd was transfixed on Giman, blasting a fireball at the Ankokuwa banner at the top of the pole. The camera recorded the fireball hitting the top of the pole, consuming the Ankokuwa flag and deforming the top of the flagpole. The security forces turned to aim at the new threat, but at that moment five flying Digimon came screaming over the tops of the buildings surrounding the Green, dropping attacks just outside the huddle of students.

All this had been planned by the DigiDestined as their counterattack. The aerial force (Birdramon, Kabuterimon, Pegasusmon, Nefertimon and Aquillamon) wheeled around again, overlooking the Green now filled with panicked students. As had been expected, the attacks had sent the mass of students into a stampede that Giman could not control. Most of the rebel students and some of the security force got swept into this tide of students scattering across the campus looking for safety.

Both the news cameras above and Giman's cameraman on the ground captured these sights, quickly followed by a flyover that shadowed the ground below and temporarily blocked the cameras above – the enormous Imperialdramon. At the sight of him, the guards remaining on the Green joined the panic and scattered in all directions.

The wildly swinging camera on the ground caught glimpses of the initial attack squadron of Digimon swooping over them again, Greymon stomping away in the direction of the nearest entry gate, and finally a ground attack as the crowd began to thin: Garurumon and Ankylomon charging for the stage with Matt and Cody directing them. Giman, seeing none of the security force around to counterattack, pulled out his concealed pistol and rushed down the length of the stage, firing at the approaching Digimon as he did so. The cameraman followed, still filming Giman's determined attack, but as they approached the opposite end of the stage Ankylomon slammed into it.

The improvised stage shuddered under the impact, then suddenly tilted precariously as supports gave way from the force. Giman, the cameraman, and the hostages still tied on the stage all tumbled onto the grass of the green. The pistol and sword Giman were holding went flying, as did the camera the cameraman was holding.

The camera briefly showed appropriately chaotic swirls of color, then the image returned, sideways in the grass looking at the tilted stage and the hostages attempting to free themselves. Admist the confusion, the camera shook as Garurumon and Ankylomon moved in on a furious, defiant Giman, scrambling to find his weapons.

He ran between their charging forms, forsaking his weapons for physical combat, and sprinted for Matt and Cody, both currently helping the hostages get free. They both dodged his charge, and Garurumon with Ankylomon got in Giman's path, causing him to rapidly reverse and try a leaping attack from the other direction.

Cody dodged the leap as Matt got the last hostage free. The cameraman finally recovered and scrambled for his camera, but before he could grab it was knocked down by a punch to the gut from Matt. Matt picked up the still-recording camera and swung around as he looked for Giman.

By this point, Garurumon and Ankylomon had gotten Giman in between them, and Cody took the initiative, unholstering his kendo stick and attempting to knock Giman down with it. Matt recorded the battle as Cody fiercely attacked with the stick and the larger Giman struggling to avoid its fast swings and arcs. Finally the whirling stick managed to hit Giman with a jab between the legs, and the Ankokuwa leader doubled over in pain. Matt rushed in to grab him and Garurumon attacked with a **Howling Blaster**, sending Giman tumbling across the grass toward Ankylomon.

Giman scrambled to his feet, narrowly avoiding being crushed by Ankylomon, took one last look at the closing Matt and Cody with Garurumon behind them, then finally began to run, sprinting across the green toward the first gate he could find.

"He's getting away!" Cody shouted as Garurumon and Ankylomon took off in pursuit, Matt and Cody following behind with Matt still filming in the camera...

* * *

Meanwhile, the cameras above were catching not just Matt and Cody battling Giman directly with their Digimon, but the conflict across the whole college. Garurumon and Ankylomon were pursuing Giman toward the North Gate, Greymon had marched toward the East Gate and blasted away the disarrayed guards, opening a hole for police and emergency services to get into the college. Not to be outdone, Joe had brought Gomamon to the West Gate, Digivolved him to Ikkakumon and had Ikkakumon blast away the guards there. Both the North and South Gates were filled with rebel students and security men forcing their way through and scattering into the city streets, the city police unable to stem the tide or catch many of those in it.

The flying Digimon had now become embroiled in battle as groups of security men began taking refuge in buildings and attempting to shoot down the Digimon from the upper floor windows. For about 10 minutes the battle raged intense as the Digimon dodged the steams of bullets being fired at them and blasted out the areas where the security men had converged, leaving gaping holes in the outer walls of the buildings and generally flushing them away from that location. Only when out of bullets or when a blast caused them to tumble from their perch did those groups of security men surrender; it was estimated that between the five flying attackers about 40 security men gave themselves up and were later turned over to the police.

The battle finally ended with the city police spreading out across campus from the East and West Gate breaks in the line, spreading into the buildings and forcing the trapped guards and rebel students out. Before police could seal the North and South Gate from behind, however, most of the former security men and rebelling students had already forced their way past the police block and escaped into the city. Giman was among them, having been protected by some of the security men that repulsed Garurumon and Ankylomon at the North Gate.

The college was almost in ruins, many of its buildings seriously damaged and many of its students gone, but it still existed. The DigiDestined hadn't prevented tragedy, but had stopped Giman at his moment of triumph...

* * *

3:00 pm...

The entire University of Odaiba campus had become a media feeding frenzy, newscameras all over the place with their recordings of what Giman's takeover attempt had done: buildings blasted and burned down, students weeping in mental and physical agony, the miscellanea of college life scattered chaotically around the hallways and pathways, signs of loss of lives and property. Already several searing images had been taken and spread among the TV reports: a city police officer weeping over a fallen university counterpart, a burned-out shell of a science building, Kari bandaging a student with Nefartimon keeping watch, Ken "processing" several guards that had surrendered by stripping them of equipment, and finally two female students weeping over a mutual friend that had been brutally beaten by rebel students and then shot by a security guard.

Completing this sadly surreal scene was the patrols of the Tokyo police force, temporarily occupying the campus in order to restore stability and get a more accurate assessment of the damage. As they made their patrols, they handed out or posted up photocopies of a letter handwritten by the college president for the students still on the campus to read. The letter went as follows:

"Dear students of this college,

"Words cannot begin to express the pain I am suffering over what has been done to this college, and I am grieving as you are grieving. Our trust was betrayed, our innocence violated, our weaknesses exposed; the very people we trusted to protect us turned us over to our enemy, and about one out of six students went along with them, forsaking whatever future they could've gained from here to chase after the illusions conjured by a madman. We have not failed them, they have failed themselves.

"In addition to those lost by going along with the betrayal, we have lost much through mindless destruction he perpetrated. Almost all of the buildings have suffered combat damage, and at least two are a total loss to fire. The Student Center is gone, as is our scientific research centers and the work contained within them, both consumed by flames our enemy caused and let grow unchecked. Our library was also seriously damaged by fire, and much of its collection has been reduced to ash. Many classes and programs will not be able to continue as before due to these losses.

"And the human element to our loss is as least as large as our property loss, if not more so. Just about everyone that did not desert has suffered physical injury, and all have suffered mental trauma. Most of our teachers and staff, who seem to have been special targets of the attack, were injured; some will never be able to teach or work here again. The police reports confirm what you have probably seen looking out the windows and damage holes: many of our students, your friends and classmates, were injured either directly or indirectly as a result of the attacks. Many of these are lost to both you and the rest of us, as the defiant and the brave were simply cut down attempting their acts of heroism. Perhaps your best friend was one of these who went out as a hero to the college; to those people I can only give my sympathies and hope for a better tomorrow.

"Yet, despite our losses, despite our agony and our sadness, we have survived. We will persevere through this long, dark night and rebuild on the ruins of this tragedy. Already aid and compassion are pouring in from the citizens of Tokyo and across the world, and for that we are profoundly grateful. Our saviors have come from the most unlikely of directions that could be imagined, and yet we owe our lives and our futures to them. The banner recently hung above our administration building, saying 'Thank You Digimon Friends', and smaller handpainted signs of a similar vein sprouting across the campus, capture the gratitude we should have for them.

"Therefore in this light, I am suspending all classes and activities until further notice, and encourage every student able to read this to attend their seminar tonight; our theater was spared the worst of the disaster, so the show will go on. In the meantime, use whatever means you can in place of the downed-indefinitely campus network to get in touch with your friends and teachers. Accommodations will be made as much as can be done, but many programs will not be able to run again due to the loss of equipment and staff. You will be notified of the situation of specific programs and classes as that information is collected and brought to my attention. Please keep an eye out for more of these flyers, as the police will be distributing these with updated information on the situation.

"I can only offer sympathy for your suffering, but I beg of you not to abandon us in the hour of our need. Please do not attempt to request transfer or academic leave until the situation for your classes has been confirmed. For those who cannot continue with the classes they had been in for whatever reason, leave or transfer will be granted based on the preference of the student and capacity of other universities. The current suspension will be counted as academic leave at least until classes can be restarted. We currently do not know when classes can or will be able to start again, but it would be inappropriate to try before the natural period of mourning has passed, and therefore we will wait at least a week before doing so if all things are otherwise good.

"Today is our darkest day, but tomorrow will be brighter if you do not give up on the future that has been given back to us. The least that we can do is honor our heroes: the Digimon people. I will expect to see you at the seminar tonight. Until then, feel free to weep over what has been lost, but not to forget that we have survived, that we will preserver, and that the future will be bright if we stand united and unwaveringly against the forces that tried to take our futures from us.

- The President of the College"


	6. Part 6: What Love is All About

**Part 6: What Love is All About**

Date: Saturday February 28th, 2004

Time: 7:30pm

Place: Taiki Theatre, University of Odaiba

The theatre of the University of Odaiba was abuzz with activity from a mixture of students, media and curious public. The grand event the DigiDestined were holding had already been marked for extensive media coverage because of the speech Ken was going to make (the first since his disappearance and return the previous year) but the Ankokuwa attack had redoubled media interest in the event, and now reporters zipped to and fro amongst hallways damaged by bullet holes and sabotaged equipment. Occasionally a stain on the floor provided a grim reminder of how close the college had come to total subjugation under the Ankokuwa thumb.

Before the big drama of the DigiDestined showing their talents to the world, dozens of little dramas were playing out in those hallways: worried parents of students seeing if their children were OK, many students learning of the fate of their friends and teachers for the first time, media trying to get firsthand interviews from both students and visitors, general curiosity of the "friendly monsters" that had saved their college, and finally small signs of perseverance and defiance.

The main theatre hall was literally packed full of students and visitors, media cameras pointing at the stage. In addition to almost all the student body that could attend the event and a fair complement of visitors, representatives from every major TV network were there, including a team from the reorganizing Fuji TV who wore buttons with the college logo on them as a gesture of solidarity with those fellow victims of Ankokuwa scheming. The speech by Ken, as well as the speech by the college president before the event started, would be broadcast live with snippets from the rest of the event delay broadcast on the late news.

Working with a hodge-podge of loaned equipment and improvised set-ups to replace the theatre equipment that had been destroyed in the disaster, the DigiDestined had rapidly put the pieces into place for the big event with the help of a stage crew shrunken by loss and defection but with its remaining members' determination making up for the fewer numbers. The first event would be a brief introduction in Digimon by Kari and "apprentice" Noriko, followed by a brief profile video of each DigiDestined member (sans Ken, who would show his in the speech), a kendo demonstration from Cody and his grandpa, Matt strumming a few songs with his band, a short scene from the Digimon play that was under development, and finally the Ken speech.

Each part of this presentation, now with the added bonus of a presidential speech to the college before the first event, had been designed to generate public sympathy for their cause and correct for the fears caused by higher-leveled Digimon running around unchecked in the human world. Before the attack, the DigiDestined hadn't been sure how the presentation would be received; now, the naysayers and skeptics would keep silent for fear of looking ungrateful or unsympathetic. Most of those that would've opposed them probably had already thrown their lot in with the Ankokuwas, to loss of the college and themselves.

Nevertheless, even in an atmosphere of public support, of thank-you banners and cheering crowds, they had to tread lightly lest they mess up the golden opportunity laid out before them. Nervousness and concern were not unjustified as the DigiDestined, watching from backstage, saw the college president step out to face a shrunken, traumatized student body and curious media, between them both packing the theater to standing-room only.

The president stepped behind a podium that showed signs of defacement and attack, leaning into a borrowed microphone connected to a web of improvised cabling to broadcast into speakers only spared destruction because of their high mountings. His speech (later termed "the seven-hours-ago speech" in the media reports) was short and to the point:

"Seven hours ago, I thought the light of education in this place had been snuffed out forever. Seven hours ago, I thought all our futures had been betrayed by those that were supposed to protect us. Seven hours ago, I thought hope was gone. Seven hours ago, I thought I was a dead man.

"But seven hours ago, we had a hope we never expected to appear. Seven hours ago, we had powerful allies willing to fight for us against our enemy. Seven hours ago, we had the Digimon people, who and whatever they may be. And seven hours ago, they stood up in our defense and drove the enemy from our campus! It is the least we can do as a reduced and damaged body to give them our friendship, our honor and our trust.

"Let us remember this day as both our day of greatest sadness and greatest hope, of our greatest loss and our greatest victory, of our greatest failure and our greatest success. For our survival and our defiance is the best and greatest way to insult and hurt our enemies and our traitors! I hope that all of you will set out to rebuild this campus anew and prove our enemies and our skeptics wrong. I hope we can justify the efforts these wonderful people and monsters put into saving this place. The least I can ask of you, the future of this city and country, is to give them your attention and your respect. Thank you and enjoy the events of tonight."

* * *

Each event went ahead as planned and was very much enjoyed by the receptive and large audience, despite several technical failures that the crowd correctly understood coming from the jury-rigging required as a result of the damages from the attack. In between events, the more vocal parts of the students crowd chanted "Up with Digimon, down with Ankokuwa!" vociferously, the cameras making sure to capture it for rebroadcast later. These were later stated to be the first shots in a "citizen's war" against the Ankokuwa yakuza gang, and the phrase became a rallying cry for all opposed to the aims of the Ankokuwa organization.

Even more than the Teenage Wolves mini-concert (the band had quickly become very popular due to the connections with Digimon, with sales rapidly increasing with each passing week, so naturally a live concert had become a very big thing), the speech to be made by Ken Ichijouji was THE headlining event. Rumors had been spreading of a low-key revival of his popularity as a result of his relationship to Digimon, and now many media outlets were watching for vindication or discrediting of these rumors.

Ken, contrary to many expectations, had deliberately decided to keep his speech as short and as to the point as possible, as he otherwise ran the risk of slipping back into his old habits. He would let the video and the simple words do most of the talking, there was no need to be long-winded about things at all.

As Ken stepped out onto the stage and up to the podium, the crowd began chanting his name, and he had to take a moment to steel himself against the ego inflation that would come if he did not resist it. There was no place for ego or self here and now, on this stage.

He began, slowly but surely, becoming more confident as he went on: "Friends... friends and allies of our cause... (the crowd cheered and clapped and Ken had to stop to let it subside), the Ken Ichijouji you see before you is a different person than the one that disappeared and returned less than a year ago. Over the past eight, nine months I have been transformed and remade into someone completely different than the young star you once knew.

"The old Ken Ichijouji would've probably let you chafe under the Ankokuwa yoke. The new Ken Ichijouji has helped save you from that very yoke. What has caused such a dramatic change, you ask? The answer was that the period of time I had appear to disappear I did many... horrible, terrible things, things that I am sure would've merited death by the only authority that fought what I did. The old Ken Ichijouji died in the agony and grief of humiliation and defeat, and the new one was born when those that had defeated me reached out in mercy and pulled me back up from the depths I had crashed to. The video will explain that in more detail.

"I feel I have absolved my previous sins and arrogance in the time I have spent hiding, in the time between my return and the efforts against the Ankokuwa. This is why now is the time I tell the truth, this is why now I feel I can be honest with you and the rest of the world. I have no need anymore to go on and on about myself and my accomplishments, for I do not value them much now. The video will explain about that as well. I thank you for your interest, and hope you continue to follow me and this cause. May all our futures be brighter from this day forward."

* * *

The deliberately short and somewhat cryptic speech quickly became the buzz of news magazines and gossip columns, speculating on the meaning of the speech and, for those believing in government conspiracy theories, what part Ken might've had in any such conspiracy. Despite later statements by Ken saying that "there was no meaning beyond what I said", the speculation went on.

The Ken video, broadcast live in addition to the speech, was similar to the quick profile videos that had been shown earlier, but was longer and had more details, including an acknowledgment of the Digital World as "where I disappeared to and where the old me died", a generalized description of "atrocities I performed" and relating the events to the Christmas/New Year's monster attack and the previous Ankokuwa attack. The video was deliberately kept only a little more detailed than the speech had been, adding fuel to the speculative fire and also triggering a new set of speculations around Yukio Oikawa, who Ken said was dead in the video.

To only measure the speech and video on the speculation they generated though would be to misjudge the intent of those presentations. The main objective, tugging at heart strings with honest emotions and recruiting allies to their cause, was achieved with a near-unanimous show of support from the student body of the college and many supporters from those watching the speech as well.

"You have our support and our confidence. The Ankokuwa must be destroyed, and we will support this citizen's war against them with all we can provide." the Chief of Tokyo Police later said in a conference with Ken and the other DigiDestined, the former also promising to "fast track" efforts to get legal covering for all previous and future actions and to recommend to both the Prime Minister and Emperor "medals of appropriate honor" for all of them.

By the end of the night, the DigiDestined were very exhausted but very satisfied with the outcome. The outrages of the Ankokuwa had now provoked the public to such an extent that the DigiDestined had cover to be more aggressive against them, and furthermore rallied a good portion of the public to their cause in fighting the Ankokuwa. An underground war had been declared, with the destruction of either side being the only condition of victory...

* * *

Date: Sunday February 29th, 2004

Time: 10:30am

Place: Our Holy Lady Hospital, Odaiba, Japan...

Most of those injured in the college disaster had been transported to several hospitals in Odaiba and surrounding districts of Tokyo, one of them being the Roman Catholic "Our Holy Lady Hospital". In fleeing the coming storm, Jim and the critically-wounded Ali had found Christopher and his group, who directed them to that hospital and later did the same for other students caught in the carnage. Both Prof. Deitsu and Prof. Takenouchi ended up there too, each having an arm in a cast from the bullet wound but otherwise alright.

Prof. Deitsu, knowing that he would be disgraced when his part in the Ankokuwa conspiracy was uncovered, wrote up a resignation notice to be passed on to the college authorities and promised full cooperation with the police (later rolled into part of a plea deal that reduced his criminal sentence). He also vowed to help the DigiDestined however he could, even in the prison cell he would be confined to for the next few years.

Ali, on the other hand, had been more critically wounded and had stayed in Intensive Care overnight. Recently transfered to a recovery room, he had been forced to lay on his stomach with bandages wrapped all across his lower back and take morphine to keep the throbbing pain down. To make matters worse, he had recieved a voice mail message on his cell phone from Hussein (who previously been given that number due to being Ali's former deputy) saying that "All the weak-minded have been purged, none are left, Ali.", which could only mean all of the other group members had either gone with the Ankokuwas or perished in the catastrophe. His already-shattered world was now gone without a trace, no followers left for him to lead.

When Tai and Kari arrived with their partners for visitation hours, they found Ali in room 386, awake but in a motionless stupor produced by the combination of trauma and morphine. The only thing he did when they entered was blink and turn his head in their direction. He was a pathetic sight and he knew it: IV drip in his left arm, laying on his stomach facing forward on the bed, heart monitor beeping a reassuring rythum, a constant background pain even with the drugs pumped into his system, no energy or appetite left for anything.

In between short periods of sleep, he cried into the pillow placed under his head. The love of his life, the fellow Muslims he had tried so hard to lead down the path of non-violence, the purpose and confidence he had in his cause... all of it gone, all destroyed by an evil he couldn't stop from tearing the group apart. He had nothing left, not even the faith he thought would be able to save his world. He was sure that his parents would disown him once they heard what he had let happen, and none of his followers were left to comfort him.

` "We came here to see how you were doing." he heard Kari say. All Ali did in response was blink out a tear.

"Sora's mom had a vase of flowers for you and some of the younger kids we're mentoring signed a card." Tai explained, setting the vase of flowers and hand-written card on the small table by the bed.

Ali blinked again with a blank look on his face and tried to say something: "Don't... don't..."

"Don't what?" Kari asked.

"... waste... effort. Let... me... do... this... alone."

"But we're still concerned for you. Christopher said you were here, that's why we came with all this stuff." Tai answered.

"Much... prefer... no one... here... no one... know... I here." Ali replied as strongly as he could under the circumstances, which turned out to be no more than a low whisper.

"Why?"

"They... will... finish... me... if... they... find..."

"Giman and his men are not going to come around here for a long while. You have nothing to worry about." Kari stated.

"Have no... everything's... gone.... parents... will... reject... me... no... friends..."

"But _we're _your friends!" Agumon piped up from his position beside Tai.

"Not... like... that... they're... all... gone... nothing... no... faith..."

"No faith? What do you mean?" Tai asked.

"It... did... not... save... me... left... with... nothing..."

"So what will you do once your back gets better?" Kari asked.

"Don't... know... don't... want... to go... to jail." Ali answered in the quiet monotone he had been using, blinking out another tear as he spoke.

"I don't think you're going to go to jail. Professor Deitsu has already promised to cooperate fully with police. Between that and the fact that you ultimately turned to help us, you probably won't get too much if any jail time." Tai explained.

Ali smiled very weakly at this news and commented: "I... never... thought... it... could... end... like... this..."

"No, you probably didn't. But at least you have a chance for a new beginning. That's better than can be said for some people." Kari grimly stated, looking down at Gatomon as she spoke.

Ali gave a weak, almost inaudible chuckle. He slowly lifted his right hand and pointed toward the bed post, where a crucifix dangled.

"Wait a minute, isn't that Christopher's?" Tai asked in surprise, quickly recognizing the design as the same one Christopher had worn.

"It was... he gave... when... brought... here... said... I need... it... now... more..."

"He gave that thing to you?"

"Yeah... he... is... only... connection... left... will... come... later..."

"And what will you do with it?" Kari asked, curious to know what Ali thought of the gift.

"Wear it... have... nothing... else... I want... to believe..."

"Join with them?" Kari guessed.

"Yes... I have... nowhere... to go... nothing... to lose."

"Well, whatever you agree to do, know that you will always have friends here." Tai assured.

"Thanks." Ali whispered, a smile spreading across his face. Lacking the energy to continue the conversation, he settled back into a comfortable position and closed his eyes to sleep again...

* * *

Tai and Kari, along with Agumon and Gatomon, quietly slipped out of the room into the hallway heading toward the elevator down. "What do you think, Tai?" Kari asked her older brother.

"I don't know Kari. I just don't know what's going to happen next. I feel we have no choice anymore." Tai said grimly.

"No choice in what?" Kari asked.

"We can't stand by anymore and let Giman and his flunkies wreak havoc across the city. We must take the fight to them!"

"You mean war?!" Kari exclaimed with a visible whitening of her face.

"Giman has forced us into it. We must fight if we are going to keep both worlds safe. I know it's not a pleasent idea, but it has to be done. There is no altermative but a citizen's war now."

Kari looked on her brother's face with something of shock, hoping that he wouldn't have to be serious about his claims...

**With the defeat of "Bugspray", there is no option but war. War to protect both the human and Digital Worlds, a war against an enemy thirsty for power and domination. How will this war unfold? Stay tuned to the next episode of the DDLA to find out!...**


End file.
